What Is Ground beef and How Can I Use It?
Here's everything worth knowing about ground beef and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 1,063 recipes to cook tonight.
What is ground beef?
Beef mince , ground beef or hamburger meat (in North America), or mince(d) meat (in the rest of the English speaking world) is a minced meat food, made of beef finely chopped by a mincer (meat grinder).
It is used in many recipes including hamburgers and cottage pie.
In some parts of the world a mincer is sometimes called a meat grinder, although the device works by a process of fine chopping (mincing) and not grinding.
In many countries, food laws define specific categories of ground beef and what they can contain.
For example, in the United States, beef fat may be added to hamburger, but not to ground beef if the meat is ground and packaged at a USDA-inspected plant.
A maximum of 30% fat by weight is allowed in either hamburger or ground beef.
Both hamburger and ground beef can have seasonings, but no water, phosphates, extenders, or binders added. Ground beef is often marketed in a range of different fat contents, to match the preferences of different customers.
Ground beef is usually made from leaner , tougher and less desirable beef created when the sides of beef are carved into steaks and roasts. About 17-18% of US ground beef comes from dairy cows.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 serving ( 3 oz ) (85g)Where found
Ground beef is usually found in the meats section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group
Ground beef is a member of the Beef Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
How much does ground beef weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 serving ( 3 oz ) | 85 grams |
| 1 patty ( yield from 1/4 lb raw meat ) | 83 grams |
Related
Beef Products
| In Chinese: | 碎牛肉 | |
| British (UK) term: | beef mince | |
| en français: | boeuf haché | |
| en español: | carne molida |
Recipes using ground beef
There are 1063 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Grilled Burgers
Grilled burgers with sour cream, dried thyme, and parsley mixed right into the patty for extra moisture and herby savor. The juicy weeknight cookout staple in 20 minutes.
Meatball Chili Stew
Tex-Mex meatball chili stew with crushed tortilla chip-bound meatballs simmered in picante sauce, tomatoes, and kidney beans. Topped with cilantro and more tortilla chips for crunch.
Beefy Chili
Beefy chili is a Texas-style chili made with fresh dried chili pod paste, ground beef, oregano, cumin, and red wine. No beans, no powder, just deep slow-simmered authentic flavor.
Basic Hamburgers
Classic American hamburger patties seasoned with Worcestershire, onion and pepper, then broiled or grilled to your preferred doneness. Mix-in variations included.
Cheese Mushroom Hearty Meatballs
Stuffed cheese mushroom meatballs filled with melted Swiss and sauteed mushrooms, simmered in a tomato cream-of-mushroom sauce. Hearty Midwestern comfort food served over pasta or mashed potatoes.
Hamburgers on the Halfshell
Hamburgers on the halfshell, open-faced raw beef burgers broiled on a bun with tomato sauce, onions, pepper, and melted cheese. A pantry-clearing weeknight version of the classic burger.
Double Decker Hamburger
Big Mac copycat double decker hamburger with two thin smashed patties, special sauce, shredded lettuce, and American cheese. Includes the homemade hamburger sauce that nails the fast-food flavor at home.
Chili Con Carne Winchester
Chili con carne Winchester loads ground beef, kidney beans, and stewed tomatoes with a sneaky can of Veg-All for one-pot nutrition. Easy weeknight chili in under an hour.
Hamburgers Au Poivre
Hamburgers au poivre transforms ground beef patties into bistro fare with a cracked pepper crust, cognac flambé, and red wine pan sauce. Steak au poivre on a weeknight budget.
Family Favorite Burgers
Juicy homemade burgers with horseradish, Worcestershire, and breadcrumb binder. Bold, classic, and bursting with old-fashioned cookout flavor.
Hamburgers in the Freezer
Freezer-prep hamburgers: portion, bundle, and freeze quarter-pound patties with their buns for grab-and-grill weeknight dinners. Cook straight from frozen on the grill or in a skillet. No thawing required.
Beaumont Bbq Burgers
Beaumont BBQ burgers, browned beef patties simmered in a quick stovetop barbecue sauce of tomato juice, lemon, mustard, and steak sauce. Sloppy-style Texas burger on a sesame bun, ready in 30 minutes.
Easy Parmesan Meatballs
Italian parmesan meatballs simmered directly in tomato sauce, made with ground beef, milk-soaked bread, garlic, and grated parmesan. Tender, classic, ready in 40 minutes.
Herb Chili Burgers
Mediterranean herb chili burgers blend ground beef with chopped tomato, black olives, garlic, dill, lemon zest, and chili powder. A grilled patty with serious global flavor.
Ranch Burgers
Grilled ranch burgers with creamy ranch dressing mixed right into the ground beef patty plus more ranch on top. Quick weeknight or backyard burger ready in 20 minutes.
Hamburger with Variations
Cheese-stuffed hamburger patties with four global variations: French with brie, Mexican with Monterey Jack, Italian with mozzarella, and Greek with feta. Grilled over charcoal.
Double Decker Burgers
Double-decker cheeseburgers stack two thin beef patties with a tangy cheddar-mayo-mustard-relish spread between them. The homemade Big Mac alternative made with real ingredients.
Yummy Lion's Head Meatballs
Lion's head meatballs are large Chinese pork and beef meatballs wrapped in bok choy leaves and steamed in the microwave, glazed with stir-fry sauce. Easy weeknight Chinese dinner.
Kohl's Meatballs & Gravy
Tender beef meatballs seasoned with Parmesan and bread crumbs, browned and simmered until they're coated in a thick, savory gravy. Classic comfort food, spooned over buttered noodles or rice.
Basic Swedish Meatballs
Classic Swedish meatballs with grated onion, nutmeg and ginger, broiled then simmered in a sherry-laced beef gravy. The smorgasbord original behind the IKEA snack bar version.
Caraway Burgers
Caraway burgers marinate seasoned beef patties in beer for 3 hours before grilling. A German-leaning burger with the licorice-pepper note of caraway and a malty tenderized bite.
Chili, Chuck Morford
A hearty beef and two-bean chili loaded with jalapenos, kidney and black beans, and a deep spice blend, slow-simmered with an optional splash of beer. Big-batch, crowd-pleasing, and seriously warming.
Calico Burgers
Calico burgers are ground beef patties stretched with cooked rice and flecked with onion, green pepper and parsley. The rice keeps the patties juicy while stretching the meat for budget-friendly grilling.
Kohl's Basic Spaghetti & Meatballs
Classic Italian meatballs made with ground beef, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, and parsley. A simple six-ingredient meatball recipe that fries up golden and tender for spaghetti night.
