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Home » Types of Ground Meat

Types of Ground Meat

By Marybeth Feutz 25 Comments

Do you get overwhelmed with the ground meat choices at the grocery store? Find out a little more about ground meat options, and discover your new favorite.

a collage of a sausage and egg breakfast casserole, two cheeseburgers, chicken and black bean burrito, and pizza meatloaf

{This post was sponsored by Indiana’s Family of Farmers. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Referral links are used in this post.}

Ground Meat 101: The Basics

There are lots of options for ground meat at the grocery store, and it can feel overwhelming to make a choice. Ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey, and ground chicken are all great options. The choice is up to you, the recipe you’re cooking, and your family’s preferences. Here is some basic information about the four main ground meats, with some recipes to try!

Ground Beef

2 cheeseburgers on a white and blue plate

Try ground beef in these Hand-Pattied Hamburgers.

Ground beef is probably the ground meat that most people are familiar with. While ground beef comes in a few different varieties, the fat content is the main thing to consider when you are making your purchasing decision. Ground beef is available in 70-75% lean, 80-85% lean, and 95% lean. How you’re planning to cook it will help to make your decision. Ground beef that is less lean (70-75%) will be better for cooking in a skillet, where it is easy to drain off the excess fat. More lean ground beef (90-95%) is perfect for any recipe where you aren’t able to drain excess fat (stuffed peppers, for example), but it won’t hold together as well in meatballs or hamburgers.

Lean ground beef (95% lean) has only 149 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 23 grams of protein in a 3 ounce serving. Ground beef (85% lean) has 215 calories, 13 grams fat, and 22 grams protein in a 3 ounce serving.

Ground Pork

pieces of sausage and egg breakfast casserole

Try ground pork in this Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole.

Ground pork is unseasoned ground meat from the shoulder of the pig. (Seasoned ground pork is sausage.) Ground pork is typically about 70% lean. Because most ground pork is a little higher in fat, it should be used in recipes where the excess fat can be drained (brown it in a skillet, mix into sauces, use browned crumbles in casseroles). Ground pork tends to have a milder flavor than ground beef.

Ground pork has 290 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 20 grams of protein in a 3 ounce serving.

Ground Turkey

mini meatloaves topped with pepperoni and shredded cheese

Try ground turkey in this recipe for Personal Pizza Meatloaf.

Ground turkey is available in a range of leanness. The percentage lean (typically 85-98%) and the color of the ground meat depends on the amount of white meat and dark meat that was used. More dark meat (thigh, drumstick) will give the ground meat a darker pink color, and a lower lean percentage. More white meat (turkey breast) will give the ground meat a lighter pink color and a higher lean percentage. Raw ground turkey (and ground chicken) usually has a softer consistency than ground beef or ground pork.

Lean ground turkey has 180 calories, 10 grams fat, and 22 grams protein in a 3 ounce serving. 85% lean ground turkey has 240 calories, 17 grams fat, and 21 grams protein in a 3 ounce serving.

Ground Chicken

chicken and black bean burrito filling on flour tortillas

Try ground chicken in these Chicken & Black Bean Burritos.

Ground chicken is similar to ground turkey in its appearance and nutrition content. Just like with ground turkey, the percentage lean (in ground chicken, usually 80-95% lean) depends on the amounts of dark meat and white meat that were used to make the ground chicken. More dark meat (thigh, drumstick) makes a darker pink ground meat with a lower lean percentage. More white meat (chicken breast) makes a lighter pink ground meat with a higher lean percentage. Raw ground chicken (and ground turkey) usually has a softer consistency than ground beef or ground pork.

Lean ground chicken has 170 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 22 grams of protein in a 3 ounce serving.

Here’s a breakdown of the nutrition of ground beef, pork, turkey, and chicken.

infographic displaying the differences between ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey, and ground chicken

Which ground meat is the staple in your kitchen?

 

a collage of a sausage and egg breakfast casserole, two cheeseburgers, chicken and black bean burrito, and pizza meatloaf

Enjoy!

Free Printable Ground Beef Buyer’s Guide

Have you ever gotten confused at the grocery store when you’re trying to pick out ground beef for tonight’s dinner? We can help! This Ground Beef Buyer’s Guide has everything you need to know about buying ground beef, plus you can download a free printable cheat sheet to keep handy in your kitchen or your purse!

Tools for Cooking with Ground Beef

Every kitchen needs a few basic tools… These are ones that I use all the time when I’m cooking with ground beef!

  • 5-Quart Saute Pan
  • Mix and Chop
  • 6-Quart Slow Cooker
  • Instant-Read Digital Thermometer
  • Probe-Style Digital Thermometer

3 Ways to Take the Fear Out of Your Kitchen

  • Why is Ground Beef Brown in the Middle?
  • How to Cook Ground Beef in a Slow Cooker
  • What’s the Best Seasoning for Chicken?

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Filed Under: Holiday Tool Box, Kitchen Tips, Tricks, & More, Meat, Where is My Food From? Tagged With: beef, chicken, grocery store tip, ground beef, ground chicken, ground meat, ground pork, ground turkey, kitchen tip, meat, pork, tip, turkey

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Hi! I'm Marybeth, the blogger behind My Fearless Kitchen! Jump in, and let me share what I'm learning about food, farming, quick kitchen tips, and easy recipes to chase the fear out of YOUR kitchen! Read more.
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