Wow-!! It absolutely astonishes me how much it costs for ground beef these days. I am not that much of a ground beef person and for the most part used to grind my own when needed. However, my housemate makes J. Wellington Wimpy's and the Hamburglar's addictions pale in comparison so I try to keep my eyes open for sales. I would prefer to buy beef in an entirely different manner but for this article we'll be discussing the grocery store offerings.
While scoping the sales and buying things in "family size" quantities has become the norm for many I have observed that some really don't realize any real benefit from doing so because of poor planning, storage or the inability to portion according to their specific needs. If you have to buy a three pound package in order to buy at the sale price and you only have a family of three or are single you'll want to create as many meals as possible that can be eaten over a period of time and not have to figure our how to use all of it in a week.
Here are some tips.
If it all possible shop during slow times at whatever store you're shopping at. While most will have the meat prepackaged in the case you'd be better off asking the butcher to grind some up fresh for you in a specific quantity. This will also allow you to skip some of the excess packaging. Most will just wrap it in butcher paper or simply bag it. If they will do this it will usually take them a bit of time so visit the butcher first. Do the rest of your shopping then return to pick up your order.
A kitchen scale is a wise investment and will usually help save you over the long while paying for itself rather quickly. A "must have" if you are trying to follow any type of diet. Controlling portions is key wether for dietary concerns or just figuring out and keeping track of how many meals you can make as well as what each costs. I made 38, 3/8 lb patties from 13.39 pounds of ground beef for a cost of seventy-one cents each. I could have stretched it to 53 patties if I made them 1/4 lb each for the cost of fifty-one cents each.
Plan and store as meals to make things easier for you during the week. Just because they are already made into patties doesn't mean you can'y use them for something else like tacos, meatballs, chili etc.
I will typically make meatballs, hamburg patty's and shepherds pies (in individual ramekins).
Get some wax paper squares or better yet make your own. The cost for convenience is about $6.00
- Tear off a some strips of wax paper about three and one half inches
- Cut wax paper strips into thirds
- If you plan on making burgers get some sort of patty maker. The one I use currently was only $2.00.
- Think "production" . Make a single layer of patties
- Add wax paper
- Add next layer
- Wrap/package in appropriate quantities
- Package for freezer
- Place in freezer w/ cardboard or styrofoam separators until they are frozen.
Package in such a way where you don't need to defrost or cook more than you need. If you have a family of five package them in groups of five. I typically only cook for two but will usually cook something else for myself. The patties will come apart fairly easy while they are still froze by prying them apart.
Tip:
- When working with ground beef you want to avoid "packing" it. Wether you are making patties, meatballs, ,meatloaf etc, they should pressed just enough to stay together with some voids here and there to allow some of the excess fat to escape.
- Don't press your burgers while they are cooking. Flip all you want but don't press.
- If you are making thicker burgers either make a dimple in the center before cooking or use something to poke a few holes through. I prefer the hole method.
- When mixing ground beef always pull it apart and avoid mashing it together. Add all seasoning (fresh and dried) to bread crumbs, mix well by pulling apart and "tossing". When mixture is well coated add 1 well beaten egg per pound and toss till well mixed. The mixture will start to bind on its own and should only require slight pressure to form meatballs.
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Comments: 13
When my family was larger and I cooked for 6 people, we would buy half a steer and stored in a meat locker. Once a month I would go to the locker and bring home the packages I thought we would eat in that time period.
With the ground beef though, I would bring the whole thing home at one time before freezing and then spend a couple of days making the patties, meatballs, meatloaves, spahetti sauce, etc and then would freeze it all in portions. Two days of hard work saved me a ton of work later one.
I have been browsing through many of your articles and photos and have marked many to go back and comment. I was planning a "sneak attack" on you and my favorite fuzzy frog for some recipes.
Here's the short list of the ones I didn't find a recipe for.
habanero ice-cream
Linda Kane's Orange & Purple Sweet Potato Salad with edible flowers
mango glaze
Dulce de Leche and Kona Coffee Ice Cream
I posted some images of chicken wings I made last knight for my teriyaki recipe but couldn't find any worthwhile pineapples to make the gingered pineapples with yesterday because someone won't export them ;) and being that I never go to The City anymore I will have to make due with whatever I find at the grocers machine tomorrow. I would be totally honored if you would make it to write a review and do it some justice with your Nikon, Canon, whatever thingamabob that you use.
My father's family were farmers so we always knew our dinner by name and I had always purchased livestock and did a lot of smoking and curing until about seven years ago. We made just about everything ourselves or traded with our neighbors and I had been fortunate enough to impart that to my children and business associates, many of whom were "city folk" and never knew they could do that. Our family used to grind so much meat and would make thousands of patties (for ourselves and others, primarily suet and sausage) that we had grinders that could do about ten pounds per minute and an automatic patty maker that I had given to my butcher as my meat would go from "the house" to my butcher (Sadly his grandson could no longer keep it going and closed down in 2003). We usually kept six steer a year and at roughly negative thirty cents a pound would give most away. Now a-days (primarily due to age and laziness) I still do a lot of "prepared foods" and this is the first of many articles on the subject. While fresh is best it is not always practical especially today. I will probably do an article on "chipper chicken" or stuffed shells later tonight or tomorrow. I have been working on a healthy lifestyle cookbook for a benefit organization and have hopefully found a sponsor who will let me film their chefs creating some of the old techniques that have all but been forgotten along with some of my recipes and will be creating an "alter ego (?)" to post them.
Mahalo nui loa for your recommendation and your fabulous articles and photos.
I had forgotten all about the meat locker until I read your article! Back in the days that I am talking about, we had three (read 3) upright freezers and one (1) chest freezer...we also had a walk-in cooler. My husband planted huge gardens each year....no he was not a farmer (chemical engineer) but he grew up in a farm and his motto was always be prepared ;-) I learned to freeze, can and make pickles and preserves during that time in my life...
We would buy shares on steers and the butcher had freezer meat lockers we could rent. Even with all the freexers at home I didn't have room fu=or half a steer at one time, so they stored it for us and we will withdrawn what was needed for the month (which was then stored in our own freezer..
I would be honored to review anything you would like for me to review but I can't promise pics... My biggest problem is time. Most of the stuff I write about is stuff I do for either our food meals or for articles due to the publications for which I write... ;-) and I seem to be always on deadline for something.
I just got myself immersed headlong into another project, which, if successful, might turn out to be a weekly obligation ...that is both good and bad LOL
I'm obviously not from planet earth. Here I am crying about two dollars a pound and you are considering three to be a bargain.
Excellent point about the bulk meat. Everything behind the counter or in the package usually arrives at the store that way. Unfortunately for many though most major grocery stores won't trim or dress it at least not here in the Northeast. Sadly many don't even know how. If they are selling ground chuck for 3.99 a pound and chuck roasts for 2.99 you are paying the 3.99 and they will not add any of the fat trimmings they would otherwise be tossing into the trash when they grind it for you either. While I understand the "fat crisis" in the world IMO ground beef that is too lean is not even worth eating and for the price I would suggest an alternative source of protein. You are fortunate to have a butcher that will dress your meat without charging you extra.
When it comes to food I am finding it hard to trust anyone anymore and too often it is not because they are trying to be deceptive but because they simply don't know. If their purveyor says it's grass fed they will sell it as grass fed even though the look, smell, texture and taste has corn "written all over it". Even for those who want to, it is getting almost impossible for a local farmer to get their goods into local markets and when they do the price is exorbitant and the majority of the money spent is going to people who had nothing whatsoever to do with getting it to your plate.