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Ground beef

Meat · Beef

Ground beef

Minced beef for burgers, meatballs, bolognese, chilli, keema and pies; fat content varies by grade.

Also called: minced beef, beef mince, hamburger meat, kıyma, keema

A kind of beef

65 recipes with it

Photo: Rainer Zenz, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Ground or minced beef is beef trimmings put through a mincer. It is sold by fat content, from lean (around 5%) to standard (15–20%); fattier mince is juicier and better for burgers, leaner mince releases less fat into sauces. Fresh mince is red on the surface and may be darker inside where oxygen has not reached, which is normal.

How it’s used

  • Burgers and meatballs
  • Bolognese, lasagne and cottage pie
  • Chilli con carne and tacos
  • Keema and kofta
  • Stuffed vegetables and empanadas

Characteristics

Taste
Beefy and savoury.
Texture
Crumbly when browned; tender and juicy in burgers.
When cooked
Brown in batches over high heat so it fries rather than steams. Overworking burger mix makes it dense.
Sold as
fresh, frozen
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for frying, Suitable for grilling

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep cold and use within a day or two of buying, or freeze flat. Grey-brown throughout with a sour smell or slimy feel means it has spoiled.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Mincing spreads surface bacteria (including E. coli) through the meat: cook minced beef, pork, lamb and burgers to 71 °C (160 °F) in the centre, not rare.
  • Keep raw mince away from ready-to-eat foods and wash hands, boards and knives after handling.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
215 kcal
Protein
18.59 g
Carbohydrate
0 g
Fat
15 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with ground beef

See all 65

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