Tesco has a new Finest Steakhouse range
(Image: Manchester Family / MEN)

Tesco's new range nearly gave me a heart attack when I saw the price, but there's more to it than meets the eye

by · Manchester Evening News

When it comes to the food shop, I'm a sucker for a Tesco Clubcard price.

I know some people are against supermarkets having loyalty cards - and aren't always convinced by the savings - but I like to think I know a good deal when I see one.

That's why I was so taken aback by the prices when I went in search of its new Finest Steakhouse range and couldn't quite understand why fellow shoppers were reaching so eagerly for the products in the range.

£43 for a fillet steak, £34 for a sirloin and £23 for a rump. Surely not.

Read more: We tried Aldi's premium range - this is why it was nicer than M&S

I was initially shocked at the shelf price, before realising it's per kg
(Image: Manchester Family / MEN)

Well it turns out the retailer has gone with the 'per kg' option for this lot, which almost gave me a heart attack when I was asked to sample the new products.

It's obviously done that because the weights differ slightly - so one fillet cost me £11.39 and the other £11.95 - a lot less than the shelf tag would suggest.

And these aren't your average steaks. They're thick cut Aberdeen Angus prime cut fillet steaks and I can honestly say that when paired with some of the other products from this new range, including Three Cheese & Chive Cauliflower Cheese, Triple Cooked Chips and 'warm and creamy' Peppercorn Sauce, it was better than eating out.

The Aberdeen Angus prime cut fillet steak
(Image: Manchester Family / MEN)

My husband's a chef, which admittedly helps when it comes to putting a nice meal together, but it starts with the ingredients and these are indeed mighty fine.

It wasn't just the steaks that went down a treat though. The kids loved the Hickory Smoked Pork Sausages, £3, flavoured with herbs and spices, and we couldn't get enough of the Smoky Beef Ribs with Truffle & Mustard Sauce, £10.

The meat fell so easily off the bone and the dry paprika rub, mixed with that sauce and the sticky balsamic glaze was the perfect combination.

The range features restaurant-quality steaks, mains, sides, sauces and butters
(Image: Manchester Family / MEN)

But the standout for us was the slow cooked Osso Buco with Bone Marrow Gravy & Gremolata Crumb, also on offer for £10.

It's not something I'd usually order from a restaurant, but the succulent meat mixed with the gravy infused with Cabernet Sauvignon and brown Dorset ale, is as 'melt in the mouth tender' as it promises to be and fulfils its description as a 'striking centrepiece for two'.

Served with vegetables and some Finest Rarebit Dauphinoise Potatoes, infused again with that Dorset ale, it was quite simply delicious.

The Osso Buco was a big hit
(Image: Manchester Family / MEN)

The range features restaurant-quality steaks, mains, sides, sauces and butters and aims to 'bring the experience of a luxury steakhouse home'. The packaging also comes with chef’s tips, wine pairings, meat thermometer cooking instructions and more.

With eating out increasingly becoming a luxury amid the ongoing cost of living crisis, shoppers are said to be treating themselves at home more and being a bit more willing to pay for premium goods.

This Finest Steakhouse range is one that's definitely worth splashing out on - and probably worth sampling while it's still on offer with the Clubcard.