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Conference turris::cooks

Title:	How to Make them Goodies
Notice:	Please Don't Start New Notes for Old Topics! Check 5.*
Moderator:	FUTURE::DDESMAISONSec.com::winalski

Created:	Wed Feb 19 1986
Last Modified:	Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	4127
Total number of notes:	31160

1017.0. "Browning ground meat so it's (nearly) fat-free" by DPDMAI::RESENDEP (following the yellow brick road...) Tue Mar 01 1988 14:12

    I'm not sure where this should go.  If it would fit better as a
    reply to an existing note, I'll be happy to move it, or the
    moderator(s) can feel free to do so.
    
    I'm not a super health-conscious cook.  That is, I will opt for
    maximum flavor and enjoyment over health considerations 100% of
    the time if I have to make a choice.  But I have used a method for
    several years of browning ground meat that minimizes the amount of fat
    retained while not affecting the flavor in any way.
    
    I bought a plastic strainer -- one of those Rubbermaid things -- about
    7 - 8 inches across and maybe 3 inches deep, with solid sides and holes
    in the bottom.  When I want to brown ground beef, sausage, or whatever,
    I place the strainer in a Corning Ware dish sized so that the bottom of
    the strainer sits about 2 inches above the bottom of the dish.  I then
    cook the meat in the microwave till it's brown, stirring a couple of
    times to break it up.  I end up with an inch or so of fat in the bottom
    of the dish, and nearly fat-free meat in the strainer.
    
    							Pat

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1017.1	WONDERFUL!	SAHQ::LCLARK		`Wed Dec 30 1992 15:42`	4
	I have tried this method of browning ground beef and it really works great!
1017.2		FRUST::HAMILTON		`Thu Jan 07 1993 09:52`	4
	That sounds like an awful lot of fat. Could some of it be maybe water? I know that some grocers add crushed ice to their ground beef to create that bright red color. Incidentally, fat and water are the two main aroma car- riers.
1017.3		TOPDOC::AHERN	Dennis the Menace	`Wed Nov 24 1993 13:21`	12
	RE: .2 by FRUST::HAMILTON >That sounds like an awful lot of fat. Could some of it be maybe water? >I know that some grocers add crushed ice to their ground beef to >create that bright red color. Incidentally, fat and water are the two >main aroma carriers. I never heard of such a thing. Is this for real? If so, it's food adulteration and should be labelled as "meat and water product" as they must do with ham.
1017.4		RANGER::PESENTI	And the winner is....	`Mon Nov 29 1993 10:41`	7
	The laws governing ground beef severely restrict the amount of fat that can be added and require the appropriate advertising on the package, but there can be as much as 20% added water by weight without any advertising required. Even the best butchers add some water. If they didn't people would complain about how dry their burgers come out. So for those folks who want loose meat that is close to being 100% meat, minimal fat and no added water, buy your own cuts, and grind them yourself.