Ground beef—make it make sense!

[Anonymous]

I normally buy ground beef fresh from a butcher at a local mom & pop grocery store. I pay a small fortune but find it’s better than the stuff at the major chains.

In a pinch and a rush, I bought the packaged 85/15 from Target (don’t come at me) and I kid you not, it was some of the best, most flavorful ground beef we’ve had in a while. My husband even remarked about how good it was.

We can’t figure it out. Make it make sense, please!

[Anonymous]

Are you usually buying leaner beef?

[Anonymous]

Is this a troll post?
Fat equals flavor. You didn't know this?

I prefer to buy the leanest beef I can find, because I have inherited a propensity to high cholesterol. But for flavor and moisture retention... fattier is better.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure why you thought the expensive meat was better than the major chains.

[Anonymous]

Your post doesn’t make any sense. 85/15 meat is going to taste good no matter where you buy it. Why did you think it would be bad at Target?

[Anonymous]

Expensive stuff is overhyped, it's that simple.

[Anonymous]

Your mom&pop store has been ripping you off for years. What don’t you understand about that?

[Anonymous]

If you buy grass fed, it’s really lean. To really understand what you are getting at Target, google “pink slime expose.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you buy grass fed, it’s really lean. To really understand what you are getting at Target, google “pink slime expose.”

Yeah, the gross stuff that makes fast food burgers tasty.

[Anonymous]

It's true that free range cattle fed on high quality pasture will probably taste a little better than factory cattle, but that's if you eat it in steak form, I imagine. In ground beef, you might not notice the difference that much.

And obviously, higher fat content also means more moisture and flavor.

I don't think you can taste the antibiotics, gross floury feed and systemic inhumane conditions visited on factory animals turned into typical supermarket meat... but it might matter to your ethical values.

[Anonymous]

pink slime tastes good? It's the higher fat content.

[Anonymous]

Butchers often sell blends. Their specific blend may appeal to you less than simply pure ground beef with an appealing fat content. You're only realizing it now because you have something to compare against your usual choice.

[Anonymous]

Ground beef is usually tougher parts that will have more flavor but those cuts would typically be too lean to grill. Fat is added so you can cook it without winding up with a puck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's true that free range cattle fed on high quality pasture will probably taste a little better than factory cattle, but that's if you eat it in steak form, I imagine. In ground beef, you might not notice the difference that much.

And obviously, higher fat content also means more moisture and flavor.

I don't think you can taste the antibiotics, gross floury feed and systemic inhumane conditions visited on factory animals turned into typical supermarket meat... but it might matter to your ethical values.

This. Not sure why you expected it to taste worse.

[Anonymous]

Butchers use up their older meat in ground beef.