Ground Beef
By: Anonymous

About

Ground Beef is made from meat cut from the Chuck, Brisket, Flank, Shank and Short Plate primal cuts. The meat is pushed through a meat grinder to produce finely chopped meat. Ground Beef is classified as Grade A or B, with A being the leanest.
The term 'ground beef' refers to meat that can contain up to 30%% fat.

Information
Other names: Qeema, hamburger, Minced Beef, Minced Meat, ground chuck
Translations: Zemes beef, Malta jautiena, Carne de vită solului, Mljevena junetina, Mielona wołowina, ग्राउंड बीफ, Carne moída, Земная говядина, الأرض لحوم البقر, 그라운드 쇠고기, Mletého hovězího masa, Ground karne ng baka, 碎牛肉, Carn mòlta, Mletého hovädzieho mäsa, בשר טחון, Köttfärs, Млевена јунетина, 牛のひき肉, Boeuf haché, Hakket oksekød, Carne Molida, Земна яловичина, Jauheliha, Приземен говеждо


Physical Description
Ground Beef is used to make Burgers, Meat Loaf, Tacos, Shepherd's Pie, Lasagne, Chili, and other popular dishes.  It is a widely used meat in Middle Eastern dishes, such as Koftas, Kebabs, or included in soups or stews.
It is also more economical to use in food than other types of meat dishes.
Colors: red and white


Tasting Notes
Flavors: Flavors can vary based on how it's seasoned.  
Mouthfeel: Juicy and feeling
Food complements: Veggies, Starchy dishes, Garlic, Tomatoes
Wine complements: Red wine, Beaujolais, American zinfandel, American rose
Beverage complements: Beer or soda
Substitutes: Ground lamb, Ground pork, Ground veal, Ground turkey, Ground chicken


Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Choosing: The leaner the better.  90/10
It's best to buy some cuts of beef chuck and grind the meat at home to get better quality meat.
A safe food handling label should be on all raw or partially precooked (not ready-to-eat) meat and poultry packages. The label tells the consumer how to safely store, prepare, and handle raw meat and poultry products in the home. 
At the store, choose a package that is not torn and feels cold. If possible, enclose it in a plastic bag so leaking juices won't drip on other foods. Make ground beef one of the last items to go into your shopping cart. Separate raw meat from ready-cooked items in your cart. Have the clerk bag raw meat, poultry, and fish separately from other items. 
Plan to drive directly home from the grocery store. You may want to take a cooler with ice for perishables
Buying: All markets carry ground beef in America.  It is a pretty common meat that people buy to make many types of dishes, especially hamburgers.
Procuring: Generally, ground beef is made from the less tender and less popular cuts of beef. Trimmings from more tender cuts may also be used. Grinding tenderizes the meat and the fat reduces its dryness and improves flavor. 


Preparation and Use
Cooks really fast and is very versatile.
The best way to safely thaw ground beef is in the refrigerator. Keeping meat cold while it is defrosting is essential to prevent growth of bacteria. Cook or refreeze within 1 or 2 days. 
To defrost ground beef more rapidly, you can defrost in the microwave oven or in cold water. If using the microwave, cook the ground beef immediately because some areas may begin to cook during the defrosting. To defrost in cold water, put the meat in a watertight plastic bag and submerge. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately. Do not refreeze raw ground meat thawed in cold water or in the microwave oven unless you cook it first. 
Never leave ground beef or any perishable food out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour at 90 °F and above). 
Cleaning: Can't really clean once you get it from the store.  You just have to make sure you cook thoroughly to get rid of all the bacteria.


Conserving and Storing
Can store up to 6 months in the freezer.
Refrigerate or freeze ground beef as soon as possible after purchase. This preserves freshness and slows growth of bacteria. It can be refrigerated or frozen in its original packaging if the meat will be used soon. 
If refrigerated, keep at 40 °F or below and use within 1 or 2 days. 
For longer freezer storage, wrap in heavy duty plastic wrap, aluminum foil, freezer paper, or plastic bags made for freezing. Ground beef is safe indefinitely if kept frozen, but will lose quality over time. It is best if used within 4 months. Mark your packages with the date they were placed in the freezer so you can keep track of storage times. 


Social/Political

History: It has long been used in savory meat pies dating back to ancient times. Beef tartare, consisting of finely chopped raw steak or high-quality beef mixed with various herbs and spices, dates back to Russian medieval times.