What Is Ground beef, extra lean and How Can I Use It?
If ground beef, extra lean has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 62 recipes to try it in.
Key Points
- Leanest grind, usually 93% lean or higher; far less grease and shrink, but dries out fast.
- Shines in saucy, simmered dishes like chili and tomato sauce where moisture surrounds the meat.
- For burgers, meatballs, and meatloaf add a panade, egg, or oil to replace the missing fat.
- Stop browning while a little pink remains and drain almost nothing; over-draining parches it.
- Keeps 1 to 2 days refrigerated, 3 to 4 months frozen; cook to 160°F (71°C).
What is ground beef, extra lean?
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.
Cooking With Extra Lean Beef
Extra lean is at its best in saucy, simmered dishes where moisture surrounds the meat. It is a natural for a long-cooked tomato sauce like Mom's Spaghetti Sauce (no garlic, low salt) and for American Chop Suey.
It also disappears happily into a pot of Buzzard's Breath Chili, where the braise keeps every bite moist.
Brown it in a hot pan, but stop while a little pink remains and the meat still glistens. Lean beef goes from done to dry in under a minute. Drain little or nothing, since there is barely any fat to pour off.
For meatballs and meatloaf, build the moisture back in. Soak fresh breadcrumbs in milk for a panade, work in a beaten egg, and grate in some onion or a spoon of olive oil.
That fat and liquid stand in for what the grind is missing, which is how a lean meatloaf still slices moist instead of dry.
Pairing and Common Mistakes
Lean beef leans on its companions for richness. Cheese, a glug of oil, tomato, beans, and a long simmer all carry it. It does well in Best Spicy Meatball Soup and in stuffed dumplings like Momos (Tibetan Steamed Dumplings), where a wet filling keeps it tender.
The big mistake is treating it like an 80/20 grind. Cook it hard and fast with nothing added and you get dry, chalky crumbles. The fix is heat control and added moisture, not more time in the pan.
The second mistake is over-draining. With so little rendered fat, pouring off the pan leaves the meat parched. Keep what little there is.
Substitutes
Regular ground beef, usually 80% or 85% lean, is the obvious stand-in and it forgives overcooking far better. If you want the lower fat but more forgiveness, split the difference with an 85/15 grind.
Ground turkey or ground chicken matches the leanness and works in sauces and chili, though it tastes milder and needs more seasoning. Ground bison is another close, lean swap with a slightly sweeter, beefier flavor.
In a saucy dish you can often go the other way and use a fattier grind, then skim or drain the extra fat after browning. You end up close to the same place with more insurance against dryness.
Buying and Storing
Read the percentage on the label. Extra lean is 93% lean or higher, and some stores carry 96% or 97%, which is leaner still and drier still. The redder and finer the grind looks, with little white marbling, the leaner it is.
Buy it with a sell-by date a day or two out and cook or freeze it quickly. Fresh ground beef keeps in the coldest part of the fridge for only 1 to 2 days, since grinding exposes a lot of surface area to bacteria.
For longer storage, freeze it in a flat, airtight package for up to 3 to 4 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight rather than on the counter. Cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) to be safe.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size unknown (100g)Quick facts
Where to find ground beef, extra lean: Ground beef, extra lean is usually found in the meats section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group: Ground beef, extra lean is a member of the Beef Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 牛肉，瘦肉多
- British (UK) term
- Ground beef, extra lean
- en français
- boeuf haché, extra maigre
- en español
- carne molida, extra magra
How much does ground beef, extra lean weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
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Related
Beef Products
Recipes using ground beef, extra lean
There are 62 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Mexican Chicken Chili
Mexican chicken chili blends home-ground chicken breast with a little lean beef, simmered low and slow with warm spices and tomatoes. Topped with avocado, a dollop of yogurt, and fresh cilantro for a lighter bowl.
Amy's Mexican Chili Crockpot Soup
A tex-mex style beefy chili chock-full of beef, beans and mushrooms.
Buzzard's Breath Chili
Buzzard's breath chili is a big-batch, no-beans Texas chili: a mountain of ground beef simmered with pure ground red chile, cumin and oregano, thickened with masa harina. A bold, meaty bowl of red for a crowd.
Salisbury Steaks with Mushroom Sauce
This version of Salisbury Steaks uses dried wild mushrooms in a beefy red wine sauce. Regular mushrooms work well too. Ground round makes for a meaty steak and milk keeps them juicy.
Mom's Spaghetti Sauce (no garlic, low salt)
This is a fantastic recipe my mom taught me when I was 9 or 10, because it's so easy to make, and makes plenty to feed everyone.
American Chop Suey
Somewhat similar to chili mac and American goulash found in other areas of the country, this American dish is most prevalent in New England.
Tex-Mex Style Enchiladas
Classic Tex-Mex beef enchiladas with homemade meat sauce and sharp cheddar, plus instructions for both rolled and New Mexico stacked styles.
Glen's Green Floater Chili
Big-batch chili with ground beef, cubed steak, and 75 whole chilies floating in the pot. A killer party chili where the green floaters decide how hot your bowl gets.
Sunburgers
Lean grilled burgers made with a blend of extra-lean beef, ground turkey, and cracked wheat on whole wheat buns. High-protein, lower-fat, and ready to grill or broil in 30 minutes.
E. Degolyer's Chili
Old-school Texas chili with no beans. Beef and ham slow-simmered in rendered suet with cumin, oregano, and chili pulp for a rich, smoky bowl of pure Lone Star heat.
Favorite Mexican Lasagna
Mexican lasagna layers taco-seasoned ground beef, flour tortillas, black olives and a blanket of mozzarella and cheddar into a cheesy baked casserole. Lasagna meets taco night in one easy 13x9 dish.
Stuffed Burgers
Double-patty stuffed burgers filled with onion, bacon, dill relish, Worcestershire, and a splash of bourbon. Juicy, loaded, and built for the grill.
Hardly's Charcoal Broiled Burgers
Charcoal grilled burgers with butter-sauteed onions and a warm ketchup-mustard sauce made right on the grill. Thin quarter-inch patties cooked over grey-hot coals for a crispy, smoky char.
Buffalo Bill Burgers
Pepper-crusted lean beef burgers topped with baked beans on kaiser rolls. Seared in a skillet with crushed peppercorns and red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
Saucy Beef Taco Pizza
Saucy beef taco pizza with a crescent roll crust, seasoned ground beef, corn chips, and melted Monterey Jack and cheddar. A retro family dinner loaded with all the taco fixings.
Cornbread Chili
Cornbread chili is a one-skillet tamale-pie cousin: ground beef simmered with cumin, oregano, and tomato concasse, then crowned with a buttermilk cornmeal crust and baked golden.
English Muffin Pizzas
English muffin pizzas topped with seasoned ground beef, oregano tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan. A kid-friendly, 40-minute mini pizza that's perfect for busy weeknights or after-school snacks.
This...Is Chili
Beef and pork chili with four pounds of ground meat, pinto beans, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, and oregano simmered for two hours. A big-batch, no-shortcuts meat chili topped with cheddar.
Sloppy Ziti
Sloppy ziti with lean ground beef and food-processor chopped vegetables in a chili-spiced tomato paste sauce. A healthier, sneaky-veggie twist on sloppy joes tossed with pasta.
Chili-Cheese Meat Loaf
Slow cooker chili-cheese meatloaf made with ground beef, cheese crackers, and chili sauce. A hands-off crockpot meatloaf that cooks tender in 6 to 8 hours on low.
Savory Chili with Beans
Hearty beef chili with kidney beans, tomato sauce, and red pepper flakes cooked in a Dutch oven. Topped with Monterey Jack cheese and packed with garlic and celery.
Bob's Burger Soup
Hearty burger soup with ground beef, tomato juice, cream of mushroom, peas, and noodles. A pantry-friendly one-pot dinner heavy on herbs and easy on the wallet.
Speakeasy Chili
A big-batch beef chili with 5 lbs of ground beef, three kinds of beans, jalapeños, and three types of onions simmered in chunky tomatoes. Feeds 12 and freezes like a champ.
Firehouse Chili (Classic)
Old-school firehouse chili with beef suet, long slow simmer, and layers of heat from chile powder, paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Four-hour labor of love for authentic Texas-style flavor.
Reno Red
Reno Red competition-style chili with coarse-ground beef, dried red chiles, cumin, oregano brewed in beer, and masa flour. No beans, all meat, pure heat.
Beef Barley Stew
Beef barley stew baked in the oven with ground beef, tomatoes, carrots, water chestnuts, green pepper, and oregano. A hearty one-dish casserole with lean beef and pearl barley.
Jo's 2-Cheese Meatloaf
Two-cheese meatloaf with Parmesan mixed into the meat and Monterey Jack melted over the top until bubbly. Green olives and tarragon give this loaf a bold, briny twist you won't find in a standard recipe.
Rib Eye Express Barbequed Hamburgers
Smoked hamburgers cooked low and slow in a water smoker with 8 seasoning variations. From savory herb to chili cheese to sesame, one basic burger mix becomes a week of different flavors.
Meatball Pita
Lean beef meatballs in tomato mushroom sauce stuffed into whole wheat pita with a creamy horseradish yogurt drizzle. A lighter take on the meatball sub with big flavor.
Chili Frijoles Negro
A bold black bean chili loaded with 3 pounds of lean ground beef, green chilis, and an unexpected spice blend of dry mustard, celery seed, and cumin seed. Thick, meaty, and built for feeding a hungry crowd.
Beef Cheesy Sloppy Joe Pizza
Sloppy joe pizza with seasoned ground beef in barbecue sauce, sweet corn, green onions, and melted Monterey Jack on a pre-baked pizza crust. Quick weeknight crossover dinner ready in 30 minutes.
Robust Beans & Rice
Robust beans and rice casserole with lean ground beef, pinto beans, green chilies, and Southwestern spices baked together until the rice is tender. A hearty one-dish dinner.
Plaza Steak Soup
Hearty steak soup with ground beef, carrots, celery, onion, and mixed vegetables in a roux-thickened broth with diced tomatoes. A big-batch crowd-pleaser that freezes well.
Three Alarm Chili
Three-alarm chili for heat seekers: ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and a full cup of red pepper flakes simmered two hours. Serve with cheddar, sour cream, and sweet onions.
Cowboy Cheeseburgers
Cowboy cheeseburgers wrap mozzarella-topped beef patties seasoned with cumin and coriander in warm flour tortillas with tomato, cilantro, and taco sauce. Tex-Mex burgers ready in 35 minutes.
Barbecue Beef Cups
This is so easy to make, especially for someone like me who has no cooking experience at all. The flavour is also spot-on.
Long Boy Cheeseburgers
A "long boy" twist on classic cheeseburgers, these "burgers" are baked in a ready to bake brown n' serve loaf of french bread. A taste of home.
Maui Burgers
Hawaiian-style Maui burgers with ginger, garlic, scallions, and soy sauce mixed into lean beef patties, topped with grilled pineapple. An open-face island burger on toasted French bread.
Steven's Easy Chili
Five-ingredient dump-and-simmer chili ready in 35 minutes. Lean ground beef, kidney beans, tomato soup, onion, and chili powder. That's it. Dinner, done.
Rio Grande Chili
Rio Grande chili is a no-bean Texas-style chili with ground beef, cumin seeds, green chiles, beer, and masa flour for body. Simmered low for two hours. Bold and authentic.
Meat Nests
Meat nests made from seasoned ground beef pressed into muffin tins and filled with mashed potatoes. A fun, kid-friendly dinner that's part meatloaf, part shepherd's pie.
Beef N Noodle Skillet
15-minute one-skillet beef and noodle dinner where egg noodles cook right in a saucy mix of ground beef, salsa, tomato sauce, and sweet corn. One pan, no draining, no fuss.
Cheesy Enchilanda Casserole
Cheesy enchilada casserole layered with seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn tortillas, and melted cheddar. A weeknight Tex-Mex bake topped with shredded lettuce, sour cream, and salsa.
Gringo Chili
Gringo chili: retro American chili built on canned tomato soup, French onion soup, kidney beans, and ground beef. Loaded with ground chile, cumin, and oregano. Weeknight chili with zero apologies.
Crusty Beef Casserole
Layered ground beef and noodle casserole baked under a crusty cheddar top with mushroom spaghetti sauce. Five-ingredient budget comfort food from the church cookbook era.
Alphabet Noodle Soup
Hearty beef and vegetable soup with alphabet pasta, loaded with frozen veggies and simmered in a savory tomato-beef broth. Kid-approved comfort in a bowl.
Beef Enchilada Pie
Layered beef enchilada pie with seasoned ground beef, kidney beans, pinto beans, green chiles, and sharp cheddar stacked between corn tortillas and baked until bubbly.
