Beef Patty Who?
Ever wondered what a “Beef Patty Mix” is? You are not the only one. Many of us are left to ask our phones what all the names down the meat aisle actually mean. That or we just shake it off and buy the mystery meat confidently - not wanting to look like an amateur. There is a lot of guess work in shopping these days. Names of products seem more like marketing than descriptions to most of us, but are they telling us more than we know? Price often feels like the best way to decide what to buy, but when it comes to ground beefs, the name tells you more than you could imagine! We are here to take the guesswork out of the meat aisle one step at a time.
Ground beef. The backbone of meal prep. You can make a burger. You can make tacos. You can make meatballs if you are Italian and meatloaf if you are a fan of the 1950s. It is so versatile that having it in your freezer is a must for those nights when you just need to throw something together everyone will like. Any package of ground meat will do, right? WRONG. The difference from one ground beef to another is the same difference between Captain America before the chamber, and Captain America after.
What are the obvious red flags that every shopper should watch out for? Here are three names of ground meat you should avoid and what is in them. Please, cover your young children’s eyes now, and maybe even your own.
Red Flags for Red Meat
1. Beef Patty Mix / Beef Patties
We mentioned this one at the start of the article, and it was for good reason. Steer - pun intended - clear of this one because it contains partially defatted beef fatty tissue, beef hearts, water, binders, fillers, and extenders, and last but not least, organ meats. That’s right, ORGANS, and this is beef and not an old church. I mean, I’m out of breath from listing all of those ingredients and I only had to type them!
2. Pure Beef Patty Mix / Pure Beef Patties
Surely the word “pure” has remedied the problems of the patty mix! It actually is a huge step up, but there is still one ingredient you will not want that is in both of these: partially defatted chopped beef. That doesn’t sound too bad, right? You are probably picturing some nicely trimmed pieces of beef to put in stew, but you are not even close. This is a product derived from the low temperature rendering of beef. At one point, the news was calling it "Pink Slime".
I think we can all agree that meal time shouldn’t include something we can find at the Kid’s Choice Awards. This is a beef product that has been renamed and rebranded many times, but don’t be fooled, partially defatted chopped beef is a big red flag. In fact, with Pure Beef Patties they don’t even have to say it includes this ingredient. Definitely avoid the pure patty and pure patty mixes and go for something better.
3. Hamburger
Hamburger? Say it isn’t so! Now, we’re not saying something labeled “hamburger” is bad. We’re just saying it’s not the best. In anything labeled ‘hamburger” at the store, you will find added beef fat. This is needed because they ground very lean cuts of meat and then add in enough fat to get the desired balance. Hamburger is a lower quality meat covered up by added fat, so try to avoid it when at the store.
Phew. We made it. We’ve shown three products to avoid in the meat aisle, but now you need to know the good meats to buy at the store. Here are the top two ground beef products to buy when at the supermarket.
Cream of the Crop - The Meat at the Top
1. Chopped Sirloin - Ground Chuck - Ground Round
This is the top of the top when it comes to ground meat! If you want to make a burger everyone remembers, then this is for you. You can even make a meatloaf everyone will remember, but why? Why meatloaf? Whatever you make, you will not regret any purchase of a package with this label and name. It contains none of the fillers, none of the added fats, and cuts from some of the most highly desired parts of the cow. If you want a safe backup to number one here, then I would recommend our second best choice in the meat aisle.
2. Ground Beef
The classic name. You can trust it because it is close to the same quality as number 1, chopped sirloin. The only difference between this and number 1 is the kinds of meat that can be included. Let’s just say you should buy Ground Beef if you are feeling cheeky! Not that kind of cheek… the ones you smile with, weirdo. In fact, all of the meats listed so far include cheek meat EXCEPT our number 1, chopped sirloin. That completes our list of ground meats/beefs. Hopefully this helps you next time you are at the store!
Better than Best:
In our opinion though, the best way to take the guesswork out of the meat aisle is to shop at Goodranchers.com. All of our ground beef is chopped sirloin - the highest quality. Our steaks are the very top of the USDA grading scale, and our chicken is better than organic! With our boxes, you never have to wonder what is on your plate. Let us do the shopping for you and sign up today with a one-time purchase, or try a subscription and save! With the first bite, you will taste the difference. Buy today and take the guesswork out of the meat aisle.
Also, follow on on social @GoodRanchers and check back in each week for more tips, tricks, and recipes to make life a lot easier and food a lot tastier!