 | Brian Bulot is manager of G&W Foods in Girard and has been in the Grocery Retail business for 27 years. For more information please call 620-724-4411. |
Food & Drink
2010-10-01 11:39:00
Differences in ground meat
Question: What is the difference between ground beef, ground chuck, ground sirloin, and ground round? Which makes the best, most tender hamburger? Does the way I make my hamburger patty affect the taste or quality?
Answer: The differences between ground beef, ground chuck, ground sirloin and ground round is basically the difference in the amount of fat in the ground meat. For example:
• Ground Beef - 73% Lean is 27% Fat
• Ground Chuck - 80% Lean is 20% Fat
• Ground Sirloin - 85% Lean is 15% Fat
• Ground Round - 90% Lean is 10 % Fat
They are all relatively similar in tenderness, the only difference being the amount of fat in each grade. Regular ground beef, with 27% fat, will usually be more juicy than ground round, but you will have more loss in weight when cooking regular ground beef than when cooking the ground round.
Most people choose the leaner ground beef due to diet and watching their weight. Ground round and ground sirloin is best suited for cooking chili and spaghetti sauce, while the regular ground beef and ground chucks are the best choice for cooking a good old fashioned hamburger.
How to make hamburger patties:
Too much handling while making your hamburger patties will result in a firm, compact texture after cooking. This will result in a less juicy burger, even with the best choice of ground beef or chuck. Use a gentle touch when shaping ground beef patties, they don’t have to be pretty or perfect, the whole point of creating a patty is to keep the meat from falling through the grill! Don’t press or flatten with a spatula during cooking, simply cook until the meat is done on one side before turning, then cook the other side until done. As long as your heat source is not too hot, this method will ensure that the patty is cooked all the way to the center, without overcooking on the outside.
