With soaring food prices, many of us meat eaters are forced to reconsider our choices at the grocery store. With choice steaks running $11 or $12 a pound, it's time to start exploring other options! There are several ways to cut your meat budget and still enjoy tender, tasty meats.

PORK: Pork is inherently more tender than beef, so you don't have to worry so much about getting a tough cut. Try substituting pork shoulder steaks for pork chops. They're much cheaper and are just as good. They generally have more fat on the outside edges, but it can easily be trimmed.

Buy a fresh ham and have the butcher slice it. The ham steaks make a great substitute for center-cut chops. They can be fried, baked, grilled, or used in stir-fries.

BEEF: The key to buying good beef is marbling, the little bits of fat throughout the muscle. It's also important to remember that muscles that move the least will be the most tender. For example, the loin is located next to the spine and moves very little; therefore, it's the most tender cut found on a beef animal. A little knowledge of bovine anatomy and familiarizing yourself with different cuts will help you become a savvy shopper.

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One way to save money on beef is to buy a lower grade, like select instead of choice. Sometimes the meat will be tougher since it won't have as much marbling as choice, but this can be remedied with marinades and other tenderizing.

Another way to cut your beef budget is to use less expensive cuts, like round steak, shoulder roasts, and eye of chuck. These cuts are generally leaner and not as tender as higher-priced filet, ribeye, New York strip, sirloin, t-bone, and Porterhouse. With a little work, however, the cheaper cuts can be delicious.

To tenderize cuts of beef, cover the meat with meat tenderizer. You might want to add garlic or garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, or other seasonings. Do not add salt. Next, pierce the meat repeatedly with a fork. This helps break up tough muscle fibers and distributes the tenderizer. Do this to both sides of the meat.

Next, marinate the meat for several hours. Use a commercial marinade or make your own. Popular choices include Italian dressing, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, teriyaki, and jerk sauce. I've found that inexpensive red wine does a great job of tenderizing and adding wonderful flavor. I usually add slices of red onion and garlic to my wine marinade.

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Before grilling or roasting lean cuts of beef, brush the surface with a little oil to keep the meat from drying out. You can also wrap small cuts, like eye of chuck, with bacon before cooking. When marinated and wrapped in bacon, this cut is almost as good as a filet, at a fraction of the cost.

Did you know that most top restaurants bake a steak in the oven before grilling it? This tenderizes the meat and keeps it moist. You can do this at home. Just bake your steaks in the oven at 350 until they're almost done to your liking. Then place them on a hot grill for browning and searing.

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For roasts, slow cook cheap cuts in a crock pot. Add gravy, cream of mushroom soup, spaghetti sauce, or barbecue sauce. Even the toughest meat will come out tender and juicy after simmering for 8 hours or so. Vegetables, potatoes, or rice can be added for a complete meal.