This past month I stocked up on ground beef and chicken at our local market. While the pricing was lower on the chicken prices, the ground beef was still $1.79 per pound for 80% lean. Of course their best ground beef prices had the highest percentage of fat, but I figured that I would just drain the fat and prepare the dishes like usual.
When I did a little research and digging though, I realized that I could cut the percentage in half by simply giving my ground beef a good rinsing. With just a little effort on my part, I could have the same lean beef and pay a lot less for it.
First, if you are new to the idea, I would recommend reading this tutorial provided by Hillbilly Housewife. It explains exactly how to do it and how much fat you are shaving off by giving your beef a rinse.
The best way that I have found to rinse my ground beef is to cook the ground beef and then pull the cooked meat out of the pot and put it into a bowl or on a plate while I drain the fat from the pan. I usually can find an empty can in my recycling that I can pour the fat into and then I rinse out the skillet that I am cooking in. Next, I start running the water on my tap as hot as possible. I rest the colander in the sink and then pour my cooked meat into it. I run the hot water over the meat and give it a good rinsing. Once it has been rinsed, I let it rest in the colander until the water has completely drained. Finally, just pour the ground beef back into your skillet and proceed with your recipe.
Now my question is, if I drain the ground beef am I removing important nutrients from my diet? I happened upon this answer, from the American Cancer Association, that I found very helpful when researching this topic…
“The original fat level in ground meat makes a difference in the amount of fat that can be removed from it. With each reduction from regular ground beef to 20% fat, 15% fat and 10% fat, the content of a three-ounce portion is reduced by 3 grams. The leaner the meat, the smaller the effect that draining and rinsing can have on the meat’s fat content. Blotting a burger on paper towels (30 seconds on each side) can generally lower the fat by about 1 or 2 grams, while the fat content of drained crumbled meat (as for chili or pasta sauces) may drop by 4 or more grams. When you rinse crumbled ground beef in a fine strainer or colander, you can further reduce fat content in each three-ounce portion by at least 4 or 5 more grams. While draining and rinsing beef can dramatically affect the amount of fat it contains, studies show that protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B-12 content is not significantly affected.”
I am always looking for ways to keep our grocery budget on track, but I am also constantly looking for ways to keep my family eating healthy. While we generally rely on ground turkey for most of our dishes, there are occasions where I prefer the ground beef. It is good to know that there are ways to reduce the fat content and still have a yummy dish!
Sound Off: Do you rinse your ground beef or do you just pay more for the leaner varieties? What is a reasonable price in your area for ground beef?
Nice one I will try it tonight !
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Wow! Try keeping kosher – our ground beef is $5.99 per pound. No wonder our grocery bills are triple the recommended for budgeting.
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I am so used to using venison that when I have use ground beef I am always shocked by the amount of fat in the pan so I have been washing it in a colander for years now.
Smiles!
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I would not have thought of this. Great idea. I usually pay more for the leaner meat, but perhaps I will try this. I hear that we can also shave sodium by rinsing canned vegetables.
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I admit I tend to buy a lean (4-8% fat) hamburger. But part of the reason is due to the fact that the cheaper hamburger upsets my stomach. So I buy the grain-fed kind and use it more sparingly (Super Walmart carries it). Great idea to rinse it though.
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I’ve always rinsed our beef because I always saw my mom do it when I was younger. We buy the 80% and sometimes the 93% when it’s a great deal. I can’t imagine eating it NOT rinsed! Good for you!
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Isn’t interesting that the less there is in something, the more it costs (skim milk, lean ground beef, etc.). I like the idea of rinsing the meat. We’ve also tried cooking ours on a griddle that drains the fat down into a trap, as opposed to cooking in a pan where it just sort of simmers in its own fat.
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I usually buy 85%. I suppose I could buy the fattier meat and drain/rinse, but it wouldn’t work as well for dishes like meatloaf.
The 85% lean beef usually runs about $2.49/lb here, but I was able to buy 3lbs of it a couple weeks back for $1.99 a pound. For my family, 3 lbs lasts a while.
I make it into 1/4lb patties and freeze them individually. That way it’s easy to make anything out of it–from hamburgers, to pasta sauce to meatloaf. I just have to thaw the number of patties I need for my dish.
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@ Frugal Dad
Skim milk costs more in your area? It costs less here–and it should everywhere! Skim milk is cheaper for the dairy company than the higher fat milks. It makes sense that leaner meat would cost more, because you pay per pound for the actual beef and fat together. So a leaner meat means more beef, which costs more than beef fat.
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Hi. I posted on my method of cooking beef. I boil mine. That way I get most of the fat out of it. I find it is less time consuming and messy as well.
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Wow, fantastic tip again Amy.
I had NO idea about this. We buy our meat in bulk on sale too and then foodsaver it all up. Hmmph.
I’m definitely going to try this next time. Once again, thanks!
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I rinse my ground beef off. (Don’t forget to run hot water down the drain for a good minute or five, so you don’t clog it up.) And oddly enough, the 80% cooked, rinsed, and drained still tastes better than the 93% or 97% my DH likes.
Hugs,
Melinda
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My mom does this and gave the tip a while back. My husband just found out he has high cholesterol and we are really trying to cut back on fat!
Just FYI everyone, Kroger has ground turkey on sale right now for 99 cents a pound. I bought 5 packages of it today and I think I’m going to go back and get more. It’s regularly priced $2.49 a pound! We mix it with onion soup mix for turkey burgers or use it for healthy tacos.
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I have been rinsing my ground beef for a while now, too. I buy the 80% or 73% or whatever the cheaper kind is.:-) Prices for ground beef in our area are usually $1.79-$2.00 a pound for the cheaper kind. Lately, I have gotten some ground beef for $.99 a pound by watching the sales. Those kind of sales are few and far between though, so I stock up by buying 10 or more pounds at a time. I buy Aldi’s ground turkey when I can’t get a good deal on beef but we much prefer the beef.
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That’s a good idea! I typically make my own ground beef to save $ since I can find steaks and cuts of beef cheaper or on sale than the already ground variety. Then a quick run through my kitchen aid meat grinder attachment and voila!
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I am a little confused. I thought that if your recipe calls for a pound of ground beef and you purchase the 73% ground beef and after you cook it, it is no longer a pound, that it is much less. That is why I have always bought the 94%. Please let me know. Thanks for your help.
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