Ground Beef
About
Ground Beef is made from meat cut from the Chuck, Brisket, Flank, Shank and Short Plate primal cuts. The meat is pushed through a meat grinder to produce finely chopped meat. Ground Beef is classified as Grade A or B, with A being the leanest.
The term 'ground beef' refers to meat that can contain up to 30%% fat.
Information
Physical Description
Ground Beef is used to make Burgers, Meat Loaf, Tacos, Shepherd's Pie, Lasagne, Chili, and other popular dishes. It is a widely used meat in Middle Eastern dishes, such as Koftas, Kebabs, or included in soups or stews.
It is also more economical to use in food than other types of meat dishes.
Tasting Notes
Selecting and Buying
It's best to buy some cuts of beef chuck and grind the meat at home to get better quality meat.
A safe food handling label should be on all raw or partially precooked (not ready-to-eat) meat and poultry packages. The label tells the consumer how to safely store, prepare, and handle raw meat and poultry products in the home.
At the store, choose a package that is not torn and feels cold. If possible, enclose it in a plastic bag so leaking juices won't drip on other foods. Make ground beef one of the last items to go into your shopping cart. Separate raw meat from ready-cooked items in your cart. Have the clerk bag raw meat, poultry, and fish separately from other items.
Plan to drive directly home from the grocery store. You may want to take a cooler with ice for perishables
Preparation and Use
Cooks really fast and is very versatile.
The best way to safely thaw ground beef is in the refrigerator. Keeping meat cold while it is defrosting is essential to prevent growth of bacteria. Cook or refreeze within 1 or 2 days.
To defrost ground beef more rapidly, you can defrost in the microwave oven or in cold water. If using the microwave, cook the ground beef immediately because some areas may begin to cook during the defrosting. To defrost in cold water, put the meat in a watertight plastic bag and submerge. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately. Do not refreeze raw ground meat thawed in cold water or in the microwave oven unless you cook it first.
Never leave ground beef or any perishable food out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour at 90 °F and above).
Conserving and Storing
Can store up to 6 months in the freezer.
Refrigerate or freeze ground beef as soon as possible after purchase. This preserves freshness and slows growth of bacteria. It can be refrigerated or frozen in its original packaging if the meat will be used soon.
If refrigerated, keep at 40 °F or below and use within 1 or 2 days.
For longer freezer storage, wrap in heavy duty plastic wrap, aluminum foil, freezer paper, or plastic bags made for freezing. Ground beef is safe indefinitely if kept frozen, but will lose quality over time. It is best if used within 4 months. Mark your packages with the date they were placed in the freezer so you can keep track of storage times.
