A 3-oz. serving of 80 percent lean raw round beef contains 14.6 g of protein, which is unaffected by cooking, draining and rinsing. Ground beef contains 0 g of carbohydrate and 0 g of fiber. In addition, this serving has 14 mg of magnesium, 230 mg of potassium, 57 mg of sodium, 3.55 mg of zinc, 0.126 mg of riboflavin, 0.275 mg of vitamin B-6 and 1.82 mcg of vitamin B-12. Although the vitamin and mineral profile of ground beef changes slightly as a result of cooking, draining and rinsing, the changes in the micronutrient profile are likely to be insignificant.
There are 216 total calories in a 3-oz. serving of 80 percent lean raw ground beef. By reducing the total fat content through cooking, draining and rinsing, you also reduce the number of calories. Each gram of fat contains 9 calories. That means by cooking and draining ground beef, you remove about 45 to 54 fat calories, reducing total calories to 162 to 171. The further removal of fat with rinsing reduces total calories to 135 to 144.
In addition to the changes in fat and calories, iron and niacin levels were affected. Iron levels were slightly, although not significantly, increased as a result of the process of cooking, draining and rinsing ground beef. The approximate iron content of a 3-oz. serving of ground beef is 1.65 mg. Niacin levels were reduced by as much as 28 percent but remained high enough that the meat could could be considered a good source of niacin. A 3-oz. serving of raw ground beef has about 3.6 mg of niacin. Reducing the niacin content by 28 percent leaves about 2.6 mg of niacin per serving.
A 3-oz. serving of 80 percent lean raw ground beef contains 17 g fat and 60 mg cholesterol. The Minnesota research team found that cooking and draining the beef reduced the fat content by 31 to 35 percent, which lowers the fat in a 3-oz. serving to about 11 to 12 g. Rinsing the cooked and drained beef with water decreased the fat content by an additional 25 to 30 percent, bringing it down to about 8 to 9 g. Cholesterol content was not affected by cooking, draining and rinsing.
Ground beef cannot exceed 30 percent fat content in its raw form to be labeled USDA ground beef. The amount of fat that remains when you serve the beef depends entirely on how you prepare it. In an October 1994 study published in “Journal of the American Dietetic Association,” researchers from the University of Minnesota found that cooking and draining ground beef and then rinsing it with water significantly reduced the fat content without decreasing its overall nutritional value.
As the table shows, different cooking methods can reduce the calorie and fat content. Pan-broiling refers to cooking in a skillet without the addition of fat. By pan-broiling 80% lean ground beef crumbles and blotting them with a clean paper towel, your final product will be close to the calorie and fat content of 90% lean pan-broiled crumbles.
If you cook a pound of 80 % lean ground beef and drain the grease, does that mean you basically have the expensive 90% lean ground beef without the added cost? That’s what a Best Food Facts reader asked, so we reached out to Dr. Julie Garden-Robinson, PhD, RD, from North Dakota State University to answer their question.
“Be sure to remember that fat usually carries the flavor in meat, so you will see decreases in flavor along with decreases in fat,” Dr. Garden-Robinson said.
“Regardless of the type of ground beef, defrost it in the refrigerator and clean all work surfaces and utensils that come in contact with meat – either raw or cooked. Finally, be sure to cook beef to an internal temperature of 160F and until the juices run clear,” she said.
“During cooking, both moisture and fat content decrease within the meat. On average, 4 ounces of lean raw ground beef becomes 3 ounces (about 85 grams) of cooked meat,” Dr. Garden-Robinson said.
Your column on fat levels in ground turkey and ground beef, raised a question in my mind. When cooking with these products, I will often sauté the meat and pour off the accumulated fat and juice. For example, I did this the other day when preparing a spaghetti sauce made with ground turkey. How much of the fat in the raw meat can you get rid of using this method?
It is possible to reduce the fat content of any ground beef by cooking it and then draining off the fat as you are doing. I cant tell you precisely how much fat you are getting rid of using that method, but as a (rough) rule of thumb, one teaspoon of fat contains 5 grams of fat and about 50 calories. With a pound of 80/20 beef it would be easy to drain off as much as 1/4 cup or more. That 1/4 cup represents as much as 600 calories and 60 grams of fat which works out to 150 calories per portion.
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The amount of fat in ground beef is listed as a percentage. When you see ground beef labelled 80/20 in the butchers case that means that it has a 20% fat content. This is the most common version of ground beef sold. You can also easily find 90/10 (10% fat) and 95/5 (5% fat). Sometimes these are referred to as 90% lean or 95% lean.
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FAQ
How many calories are in 80 20 ground beef cooked and drained?
Is ground beef less calories if you drain the fat?
Do you have to drain 80/20 ground beef?
How much does 80/20 ground beef cook down?
