Ground Beef

Ground beef’s got a lot going for it — it’s fast and easy to cook, versatile and enjoyed by all. Is it any wonder that ground beef is the #1 Canadian meal-maker! And there‘s more to ground beef’s benefits – plain and simple, ground beef’s good for you! Here’s all you need to know to make dinner – made easy with Canadian Ground Beef!

Get Ready

Forever flexible, ground beef can be pan-fried for meat sauces and casseroles or shaped into burgers, meatballs and more.

COOK ground beef in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into small chunks with cooking. Cook thoroughly, until browned throughout.
DRAIN.
ADD to pasta sauce or soups or use in chili, casserole, taco and soup recipes, seasoning to taste.

Watch

Common Cuts

Extra lean ground beef
Maximum fat content 10% (90% lean)

Lean ground beef
Maximum fat content 17% (83% lean)

Medium ground beef
Maximum fat content 23% (77% lean)

Regular ground beef
Maximum fat content 30% (70% lean)

Myth Buster

MYTH:

Ground beef has colour added to it – that is why it is purple in the centre of the pack but bright red on the surface.

TRUTH:

Ground beef is 100% beef with no additives, fillers or colours. As beef is exposed to oxygen, it naturally develops a red hue – so the meat at the surface of a package is bright red. The meat at the centre will turn red too once it’s opened up to the air.

Tips for Ground Beef

Cook’s Notes:

All ground beef comes designated as Extra Lean, Lean, Medium or Regular, based on the maximum fat content. This designation is the same for all ground meats: beef, turkey, veal, chicken, pork and lamb.

Ground beef types

EXTRA LEAN (10% maximum fat) great for flavour-packed recipes that you don’t drain after cooking. Use in meat loaf or cabbage rolls.
LEAN (17% maximum fat) Canada’s No. 1 grind is a good all-purpose choice. Use in all kinds of ground beef recipes.
MEDIUM (23% maximum fat)
REGULAR (30% maximum fat) use for grilling, broiling and drain to reduce fat before adding to your recipe. Use Medium in burgers and meatballs, and Regular or Medium in pasta sauces and casseroles.

Have you tried “Steak Experience” Ground Beef? Look for the names Sirloin, Chuck and Round on packages of ground beef. These names indicate that the ground beef is made from a single cut, not a mix. Ground Sirloin tastes like Sirloin Steak for example – it’s ground beef gone gourmet.
Refrigerate ground beef within 1 to 2 hours of purchase.
Refrigerate at 40° F (4° C) or lower, on bottom shelf to avoid dripping on to other foods.
Thaw in the fridge, allowing 12 to 15 hours per pound, OR thaw in the microwave, cooking immediately after thawing.
Cook all ground beef thoroughly to 160° F (71° C). Test temperatures with a digital read thermometer. Never eat ground beef raw.

Big Batch Beef

The Question of Colour

Contrary to popular belief, the colour of beef is not a reliable indicator of freshness. In its initial state, beef is a deep purple colour. As it is exposed to oxygen in the air, the pigment turns cherry red. That same beef can turn purple again if oxygen is removed. The perfect example is vacuum-packaged beef.

With certain packaging types, that initial cherry red pigment will begin to take on a slightly brown hue quite quickly. The meat is still fresh and safe to eat, but just not as bright a red as when it was first exposed to oxygen. The Best Before date is still the best way to know if your fresh beef needs to be prepared and eaten right away or frozen.

Some ground beef can be brownish in the centre. This is because the small amount of oxygen present in the centre gives the meat pigment a brownish hue. However, the meat remains fresh and safe to eat up to its Best Before date.

Cuts used with Ground Beef

Common Cuts | Ground Beef

Ground Beef Options

regular-ground-beef-canadian-beef
EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF
Maximum fat content 10% (90% lean)

regular-ground-beef-canadian-beef
LEAN GROUND BEEF
Maximum fat content 17% (83% lean)

regular-ground-beef-canadian-beef
MEDIUM GROUND BEEF
Maximum fat content 23% (77% lean)

regular-ground-beef-canadian-beef
REGULAR GROUND BEEF
Maximum fat content 30% (70% lean)

Ground Beef recipes:

So Simple Beef Provolone Pizza

WOW – with Big Batch Beef in the freezer, this pizza is a faster dinner alternative than take out!

Ginger-Miso Meatball and Vegetable Soup with Barley

Gently poaching meatballs in a simmering broth has 2 benefits: it adds a meatier flavour to the broth and makes the most tender, juicy meatballs. Miso can be purchased in the refrigerated section in Asian grocery stores and keeps a long time in the fridge. Try using it as a rub for a steak as a for a flavour boost sometime. This recipe was adapted from Chef Buckett’s original and modified, as necessary, for home cooks.

Italian Beef Meatball Soup

If using plain tomato paste, increase Italian seasoning to 1 tsp (5 mL) in the beef meatballs. The meatballs in this recipe may look slightly pink inside even when thoroughly cooked because of the tomato paste.

School’s OUT Taco Salad

A quick dinner doesn’t mean you default to take-out! Stock beef-friendly ingredients in your pantry for satisfying from–scratch suppers in a snap! Sampling tonight:

Big Batch Beef

Big Batch Beef is not only a speedy supper solution, it’s a nutrition bonus too – stir in a scoop as an easy way to enrich soups, spaghetti sauces and more. Add in some diced sweet pepper or grated carrot along with the onions and garlic as an easy way to sneak in more veggie content.

Rainbow Beef Stir-Fry

The colours alone could knock this one out of the park, but the sweet, savoury and somewhat exotic flavours carry it the extra mile. This is a fantastic dish for any occasion, any time of year.

One Pot French Onion Meatballs with Egg Noodles

Comforting and delicious, this one pot recipe is full of beefy flavour. The best part only one pot to clean up after dinner! The meatballs are poached in the liquid which means no more waiting, checking and worrying about burning the meatballs.

Speedy Pasta Pie

Simple as pie… This recipe is way faster to make than lasagne, and you have the option of making two pans, so you can freeze one for a future meal (baking from frozen for about 1-1/2 hours). You can also assemble it ahead and refrigerate to bake later, baking for 10 minutes longer. When baked in a single lasagna pan, this recipe is perfect for potluck and buffet-style dinners.