Here's everything worth knowing about ground beef and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 1,063 recipes to cook tonight.
Key Points
Ground beef (also called beef mince) is finely chopped beef that cooks quickly and takes on flavor well.
Choose 80/20 for juicy burgers and leaner blends (90/10) for dishes where you drain the fat.
Brown it over medium-high heat, breaking it up so it cooks evenly, then drain excess fat if needed.
Cook to 160°F (71°C). It is done when no longer pink.
Store fresh ground beef in the refrigerator for 1-2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
What is ground beef?
Ground beef is finely chopped beef, also called beef mince or hamburger meat. It is one of the most useful proteins in the kitchen because it cooks quickly and absorbs flavors well.
How to Choose It
Look for ground beef with a fat content that matches what you are making. 80/20 (80% lean, 20% fat) is excellent for burgers because the fat keeps them juicy. 90/10 or leaner works better for dishes like chili or tacos where you drain off excess fat anyway.
Fresh ground beef should be bright red and smell clean. If it is grayish or has an off odor, do not use it.
How to Cook It
Brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Break it up with a spoon as it cooks so it browns evenly instead of steaming. Once it is no longer pink, drain off most of the fat if the dish does not need it.
Ground beef is done when it reaches 160°F (71°C) internally. It continues to cook a little after you remove it from the heat, so pull it slightly early if you are adding it to a sauce or casserole.
Common Uses
Ground beef shines in burgers, meatloaf, tacos, chili, shepherd's pie, and spaghetti sauce. It also works well in stuffed peppers, cabbage rolls, and kofta.
Because it is already in small pieces, it takes on seasoning and sauce flavors faster than larger cuts.
Storage
Keep fresh ground beef in the coldest part of the refrigerator and use it within one to two days. For longer storage, wrap it tightly and freeze it for up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.
Substitutes
Ground turkey or ground chicken works as a leaner option, though the flavor is milder. Plant-based ground alternatives made from pea protein or soy can stand in for vegetarian dishes. Finely chopped mushrooms mixed with lentils give a similar texture in sauces and casseroles. Ground pork or lamb can substitute when you want a richer flavor.
Types of ground beef
Specific kinds of ground beef and the recipes that use them.
Lean ground beef is the 90/10 grind: 90 percent lean meat to 10 percent fat. That ratio is the working compromise between flavor and grease, and it is what more than 430 recipes here mean when they call for lean ground beef.
The label math matters because the fat is doing real work. It bastes the meat as it renders and carries most of the beefy flavor, so the leaner the grind, the harder you have to work to keep dinner from drying out.
Extra lean, 93/7 and up, suits sauces and chili where the liquid does the moistening. For burgers, fattier 80/20 chuck beats it every time.
Extra lean ground beef is the leanest grind on the shelf, usually labeled 93% lean (7% fat) or leaner. It is ground from trim that is mostly muscle, with very little of the fat that makes regular ground beef juicy.
The trade-off is simple. You get far less grease in the pan and far less shrinkage, but the meat dries out easily and can turn crumbly and gray if you cook it too hard.
For everything that applies to any grind, see ground beef. This page is about working around the lack of fat.
Use it where the fat comes from somewhere else and it cooks up beautifully. Use it for a quick burger with nothing added and it disappoints.
Ground chuck is ground beef cut from the chuck, the shoulder of the cow. It is the default supermarket grind, the one most cooks picture when they hear "hamburger meat."
Most ground chuck runs about 80 percent lean to 20 percent fat. That ratio is the whole point.
Twenty percent fat is enough to keep a burger juicy and beefy without leaving a greasy puddle in the pan, which is why chuck is the burger grind by default.
If your package just says ground beef with no cut named, it is usually a chuck-based 80/20. The chuck label tells you the fat came from one honest, flavorful muscle group instead of mixed trimmings.
A lean ground beef patty is exactly what it sounds like: lean ground beef, usually a 90/10 grind, shaped into a flat round and ready to cook. Recipes call for it when they want a portioned, lower-fat burger without you having to weigh and form the meat yourself.
The "lean" part is the catch. With only 10 percent fat, these patties cook drier and tighter than a fatty 80/20 burger.
That means they reward a gentle hand and a quick exit from the heat.
Grilled burgers with sour cream, dried thyme, and parsley mixed right into the patty for extra moisture and herby savor. The juicy weeknight cookout staple in 20 minutes.
Tex-Mex meatball chili stew with crushed tortilla chip-bound meatballs simmered in picante sauce, tomatoes, and kidney beans. Topped with cilantro and more tortilla chips for crunch.
Microwave cheeseburgers brown ground beef patties with a quick bouquet sauce wash, then melt cheese on a soft bun in minutes. A retro 70s-style fast burger for when the stove is busy.
Beefy chili is a Texas-style chili made with fresh dried chili pod paste, ground beef, oregano, cumin, and red wine. No beans, no powder, just deep slow-simmered authentic flavor.
Classic American hamburger patties seasoned with Worcestershire, onion and pepper, then broiled or grilled to your preferred doneness. Mix-in variations included.
Sour cream burgers stay juicy because the sour cream goes right into the beef, along with green onion and a little crumb to keep them tender. Cook them fast in the microwave or sear them on the grill, then load up the buns.
Stuffed cheese mushroom meatballs filled with melted Swiss and sauteed mushrooms, simmered in a tomato cream-of-mushroom sauce. Hearty Midwestern comfort food served over pasta or mashed potatoes.
Classic Italian meatballs with beef, herbs, and breadcrumbs. Freezer-friendly meatballs that bake or pan-fry until browned, perfect for pasta night or meal prep.
Hamburgers on the halfshell, open-faced raw beef burgers broiled on a bun with tomato sauce, onions, pepper, and melted cheese. A pantry-clearing weeknight version of the classic burger.
Big Mac copycat double decker hamburger with two thin smashed patties, special sauce, shredded lettuce, and American cheese. Includes the homemade hamburger sauce that nails the fast-food flavor at home.
Chili con carne Winchester loads ground beef, kidney beans, and stewed tomatoes with a sneaky can of Veg-All for one-pot nutrition. Easy weeknight chili in under an hour.
Hamburgers au poivre transforms ground beef patties into bistro fare with a cracked pepper crust, cognac flambé, and red wine pan sauce. Steak au poivre on a weeknight budget.
Freezer-prep hamburgers: portion, bundle, and freeze quarter-pound patties with their buns for grab-and-grill weeknight dinners. Cook straight from frozen on the grill or in a skillet. No thawing required.
Beaumont BBQ burgers, browned beef patties simmered in a quick stovetop barbecue sauce of tomato juice, lemon, mustard, and steak sauce. Sloppy-style Texas burger on a sesame bun, ready in 30 minutes.
Italian parmesan meatballs simmered directly in tomato sauce, made with ground beef, milk-soaked bread, garlic, and grated parmesan. Tender, classic, ready in 40 minutes.
Mediterranean herb chili burgers blend ground beef with chopped tomato, black olives, garlic, dill, lemon zest, and chili powder. A grilled patty with serious global flavor.
Grilled ranch burgers with creamy ranch dressing mixed right into the ground beef patty plus more ranch on top. Quick weeknight or backyard burger ready in 20 minutes.
Cheese-stuffed hamburger patties with four global variations: French with brie, Mexican with Monterey Jack, Italian with mozzarella, and Greek with feta. Grilled over charcoal.
Double-decker cheeseburgers stack two thin beef patties with a tangy cheddar-mayo-mustard-relish spread between them. The homemade Big Mac alternative made with real ingredients.
Lion's head meatballs are large Chinese pork and beef meatballs wrapped in bok choy leaves and steamed in the microwave, glazed with stir-fry sauce. Easy weeknight Chinese dinner.
Italian meatballs and spaghetti sauce simmer parmesan-laced beef meatballs in a wine-spiked tomato sauce with onion, garlic, green pepper, basil, and oregano. Weeknight ready in 45 minutes.
Tender beef meatballs seasoned with Parmesan and bread crumbs, browned and simmered until they're coated in a thick, savory gravy. Classic comfort food, spooned over buttered noodles or rice.
Cincinnati's iconic chili simmers with warm spices like cinnamon, allspice, and cocoa powder, creating a Greek-influenced meat sauce perfect for ladling over spaghetti.
Hearty chili soup with ground beef, kidney beans, strained tomatoes and a surprising swirl of cream. Simple to make with just a handful of ingredients, simmers low and slow.
Classic Swedish meatballs with grated onion, nutmeg and ginger, broiled then simmered in a sherry-laced beef gravy. The smorgasbord original behind the IKEA snack bar version.
Caraway burgers marinate seasoned beef patties in beer for 3 hours before grilling. A German-leaning burger with the licorice-pepper note of caraway and a malty tenderized bite.
Protein paleo burger: a seasoned beef patty mixed with scallion, garlic, and serrano, stacked bunless on lettuce with a fried egg, grilled portobello, avocado, and chimichurri. High-protein, grain-free.
Garlic curry burgers fold mild curry powder, fresh garlic, and sweet Vidalia onion right into the beef, with egg and evaporated milk keeping the patties tender on the grill. A spiced summer cookout twist.
A hearty beef and two-bean chili loaded with jalapenos, kidney and black beans, and a deep spice blend, slow-simmered with an optional splash of beer. Big-batch, crowd-pleasing, and seriously warming.
Calico burgers are ground beef patties stretched with cooked rice and flecked with onion, green pepper and parsley. The rice keeps the patties juicy while stretching the meat for budget-friendly grilling.
Classic Italian meatballs made with ground beef, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, and parsley. A simple six-ingredient meatball recipe that fries up golden and tender for spaghetti night.
Chili N'Awlins is a New Orleans-style beef and pork chili with green chiles, oregano, and a Cajun edge. Topped with corn chips, sharp cheddar, and shredded lettuce for a hearty crowd-feeder.
Sweet and sour meatballs simmered in a tangy cranberry-tomato sauce. A classic Jewish-American holiday and Shabbat dish that turns pantry cans into a glossy, crowd-pleasing dinner over rice or challah.
Cheddar burgers with grated sharp cheese mixed right into the beef along with minced onion, breadcrumbs, and barbecue sauce. Cheese-stuffed patties that won't squeeze out a slice on the grill.
Cheesy chili mac for a crowd with ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and melted cheddar cheese sauce over pasta. Family-friendly one-pot chili that feeds 12.
Savory spaghetti and meatballs with ground beef meatballs seasoned by dry onion soup mix, browned and simmered in jarred spaghetti sauce. The 30-minute weeknight version that tastes like a slow-cooked Sunday sauce.
Grilled cheeseburger with melted Swiss, charred Vidalia onions, and Dijon mayonnaise on toasted crusty bread. A French-bistro spin on the American classic.
Grilled guacamole burgers topped with homemade avocado salsa, chili powder, and red pepper on toasted English muffins. A smoky, creamy Mexican-inspired burger recipe ready in 30 minutes flat.
Big-batch Super Bowl chili with ground beef, pinto beans, and tomato juice base, simmered low for hours with a deep spice blend of cumin, cayenne, and paprika. Feeds a crowd.
Classic stovetop chili with ground beef, dried pinto or kidney beans, fresh tomatoes, and a hit of cumin and hot chili. Slow-simmered for three hours until the beans turn velvety.
Beef boulette burgers fold sour cream, mushrooms, and parsley into ground beef for tender French-Canadian-style patties. Juicier than standard burgers, broiler or grill ready.
Tender beef and onion meatballs glazed in a sweet chili sauce spiked with grape jelly and lemon juice. A retro party appetizer that hooks every guest from the first bite.
Pressure cooker chili loaded with ground beef, kidney beans, and warm spices. Ready in 45 minutes with rich, slow-cooked flavor in a fraction of the time.
Remember the Alamo Chili: a hearty Texas-style ground beef chili built on fresh hot chilies, garlic, cumin and citrusy Mexican oregano in a rich tomato base. Add beans if you must, and finish with a cool spoonful of sour cream.
Spaghetti and meatballs simmered in a slow-cooked tomato sauce with red wine, mushrooms, green pepper, basil, and oregano. Tender pan-fried beef meatballs and a deeply layered sauce that builds for two hours.
Cuban-style picadillo with ground beef, raisins, olives, apple, jalapeno, and warm spices like cinnamon and cloves. Serve over rice, in tacos, or as a stuffed pepper filling.
