Ground Beef (for meatballs!)
How it’s made… • Ground beef is made from the leaner, tougher, less desirable cuts of meat when a cow gets slaughtered • These cuts of meat are run through a grinder which is how it gets it’s texture
How many cows produce a single package of ground beef?! • Up to 1000 cows!!
Different types of ground beef? • Regular • Lean • Extra lean • Differences = amount of fat and the cost • regular = about 20% fat • lean = about 10% fat • extra lean = about 5% fat
Storage • There is an expiry date on the package – can be kept in the fridge if it is going to be used before that date • Can be kept in the freezer for 3-4 months • when ready to use can thaw 3 different ways: • fridge over night • microwave • warm running water
Cooking Safety • What do you need to be careful for when cooking? • make sure its cooked all the way through • be careful of oil spatter • cross contamination
Cooking Safety • How do you know when ground beef is cooked all the way through?
E coli • Escherichia coli foodbone illness • Refers to a large group of bacteria that is commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals • Symptoms: • stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and fever
Why does ground beef have it?! • Ground beef is more likely to have e coli over other cuts of meat because… • Why is ecoli so prominent within cows? • in many farms cows are kept in close quarters, treated badly and forced to live in their own waste, making the spread of ecoli easier through feces from cow to cow • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3L7lcMTELg