Beef has long been America’s favorite protein and rightfully so as it delivers great flavor and powerful nutrition. The following tips will give you a better understanding of how to decipher your choices at the meat case and how to properly store, prepare and cook beef.
At the supermarket meat case, each beef package label typically identifies the primal cut and the sub-primal cut name. It also includes the weight, price per pound, total price, sell-by date and safe handling instructions. It may also include a grade, nutrition and preparation information and the country of origin.
Ground Beef packages are labeled according to USDA standards. The information on the labels will be expressed as percent lean to percent fat (80% lean/20% fat, for example).
Ground Beef labels may also indicate which primal cut the beef comes from (such as Chuck, Round, or Sirloin).
What to look for:
Different beef cuts can determine the amount of time it can safely be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
For best quality, defrost beef in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. Place frozen package on a plate or tray to catch any juices and place in the refrigerator.
To avoid cross-contamination and prevent foodborne illnesses, follow these easy steps: