exploder3211
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A few weeks back we had the discussion about ground beef.. The other night i bought a pack of the tube ground beef... For those of you have never seen it before here it is..
Ground Beef in a Tube
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oxydolfan1
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How can you tell what it looks like, before you buy it?
exploder3211
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You cant... LoL... It was $1.95 at wal mart...
For years Safeway in Canada sells their Ground pork in these kinds of packages....I believe they also had their beef in these packages...I never liked it, but I have to admit the meet from Safeway was Grade A (top grade)..other grocers...welll I would be somewhat hesitant
veg-o-matic
Well-known member
Isn't that package called--you should pardon the expression--a "chubby"?
veg
veg
brettsomers
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thats "chub".
maytagbear
Well-known member
It's not unlike
buying bulk pork sausage...Bob Evans (my preference), Tennesee Pride, Jimmy Dean, and now George Jones...
Just have to trust your packer.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
buying bulk pork sausage...Bob Evans (my preference), Tennesee Pride, Jimmy Dean, and now George Jones...
Just have to trust your packer.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
andrewinorlando
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Yes, especially in this day and age....it's very important to trust your "packer"!!!!
washerboy
Well-known member
kroger
Kroger here in Little Rock sells GB this way. I have tried it before and it's gross. I thought when I opened it..I would have never bought GB with that much white (fat) in it. I perfer to buy it the old fashion way...either at the butcher or at least in the clear package. For those of you who have'nt tried it...ground turkey is great. Although I have'nt tried it..I hear that making burgers on the grill out of it is gross; however for chili, meatloaf and other dishes calling for ground beef it's really good. I tend not to tell people their eating ground turkey until after the fact. Most are amazed that they cant tell the difference.
Kroger here in Little Rock sells GB this way. I have tried it before and it's gross. I thought when I opened it..I would have never bought GB with that much white (fat) in it. I perfer to buy it the old fashion way...either at the butcher or at least in the clear package. For those of you who have'nt tried it...ground turkey is great. Although I have'nt tried it..I hear that making burgers on the grill out of it is gross; however for chili, meatloaf and other dishes calling for ground beef it's really good. I tend not to tell people their eating ground turkey until after the fact. Most are amazed that they cant tell the difference.
Chub
Typically, chubs are not from the "in house" butcher, but from larger packing houses. The introduction of ecoli is more probable in a slaughterhouse setting where entrails and fecal matter are present.
Most ground beef in your local store comes from trim in fabricating steaks, roasts etc.
Bright red in a see through wrap, is not an indication of freshness or quality and can be achieved with back flushing gasses into the package as it is sealed.
In the past some chubs were imported which gives the USDA less control over inspection.
The bottom line, if you don't know your butcher or his meat, its imperative to cook ground meats well done.
Kelly
Kelly
Typically, chubs are not from the "in house" butcher, but from larger packing houses. The introduction of ecoli is more probable in a slaughterhouse setting where entrails and fecal matter are present.
Most ground beef in your local store comes from trim in fabricating steaks, roasts etc.
Bright red in a see through wrap, is not an indication of freshness or quality and can be achieved with back flushing gasses into the package as it is sealed.
In the past some chubs were imported which gives the USDA less control over inspection.
The bottom line, if you don't know your butcher or his meat, its imperative to cook ground meats well done.
Kelly
Kelly
danemodsandy
Well-known member
I confess that I use tube-packed ground beef, and that I like the product.
To begin with, the fat content is not a drawback for me; it's actually an advantage. With ground beef, as in any meat, fat is where the flavour is. Not only is most meat trimmed of nearly all fat these days, meat is actually being bred leaner, to the detriment of flavour. The biggest example is pork, which is now bred so lean that most people end up with tough, dry pork chops after cooking. Premium brands of meat, like Niman Ranch, are not bred so lean, and retain the classic "marbling" of old.
What I use tube-packed beef for is soups, stews, and chilli. For that usage, the fat content is okay, because the ground beef is browned before being added to the recipe, and the excess fat discarded. When I'm browning, I do two things to maximise flavour and minimise fat: first, I brown in a heavy cast-iron skillet, and I REALLY brown the meat. Most people just cook to a greyish colour, and that does very little to develop flavour in the meat. It also doesn't render out as much fat as possible. Once I'm done browning, I then drain the beef by putting it into a wire-mesh colander that is set over a Pyrex bowl; once the beef drains on its own, I then press down on it with the back of a wooden spoon to get everything out of it that I can.
Now, that sounds like a lot of fat comes out, and that is true- you lose about 1/4 to 1/3 of the weight of that pound of ground beef. But my experience with leaner beef is that browning it does not develop so much flavour (unless you use some oil in the skillet, which rather defeats the purpose of really lean beef, no?) and you still lose about the same amount of the weight of the beef, to water loss- a higher water content seems to be the trade-off for lower fat. You also don't get as intense a brown.
So far as safety is concerned, I cook ground beef until it is well-done, unless I'm doing hamburgers, in which case I buy the beef from a trusted butcher here, not at the grocery store at all. While large packing houses have their problems, it's also my personal feeling that grocery stores have a few of their own, not the least of which is their poorly paid, poorly trained help. What that means is that I trust neither source completely, and I have eliminated rare and uncooked meats from my menus unless I'm feeling flush enough to spring for meat from the butcher. For the same reason, I no longer make mayonnaise at home; the egg producers have their problems too.
So, this is a product I use, but with care.
To begin with, the fat content is not a drawback for me; it's actually an advantage. With ground beef, as in any meat, fat is where the flavour is. Not only is most meat trimmed of nearly all fat these days, meat is actually being bred leaner, to the detriment of flavour. The biggest example is pork, which is now bred so lean that most people end up with tough, dry pork chops after cooking. Premium brands of meat, like Niman Ranch, are not bred so lean, and retain the classic "marbling" of old.
What I use tube-packed beef for is soups, stews, and chilli. For that usage, the fat content is okay, because the ground beef is browned before being added to the recipe, and the excess fat discarded. When I'm browning, I do two things to maximise flavour and minimise fat: first, I brown in a heavy cast-iron skillet, and I REALLY brown the meat. Most people just cook to a greyish colour, and that does very little to develop flavour in the meat. It also doesn't render out as much fat as possible. Once I'm done browning, I then drain the beef by putting it into a wire-mesh colander that is set over a Pyrex bowl; once the beef drains on its own, I then press down on it with the back of a wooden spoon to get everything out of it that I can.
Now, that sounds like a lot of fat comes out, and that is true- you lose about 1/4 to 1/3 of the weight of that pound of ground beef. But my experience with leaner beef is that browning it does not develop so much flavour (unless you use some oil in the skillet, which rather defeats the purpose of really lean beef, no?) and you still lose about the same amount of the weight of the beef, to water loss- a higher water content seems to be the trade-off for lower fat. You also don't get as intense a brown.
So far as safety is concerned, I cook ground beef until it is well-done, unless I'm doing hamburgers, in which case I buy the beef from a trusted butcher here, not at the grocery store at all. While large packing houses have their problems, it's also my personal feeling that grocery stores have a few of their own, not the least of which is their poorly paid, poorly trained help. What that means is that I trust neither source completely, and I have eliminated rare and uncooked meats from my menus unless I'm feeling flush enough to spring for meat from the butcher. For the same reason, I no longer make mayonnaise at home; the egg producers have their problems too.
So, this is a product I use, but with care.
bethann
New member
Ground beef in a tube
Urm, Yuck!
I hate to sound like a whimp here but, I don't trust anything already ground up.
If you grind your own and taste the difference it's much better, plus you know what your getting, and can control the fat content and the germs.
Urm, Yuck!
I hate to sound like a whimp here but, I don't trust anything already ground up.
If you grind your own and taste the difference it's much better, plus you know what your getting, and can control the fat content and the germs.
The grocery here sells both the 'tube' variety and the kind wrapped (I assume in-house) in plastic on a styrofoam tray. The tube-types are available in several variations. I bought one for my grandmother last Sunday evening, ground sirloin 90/10 fat content.
brettsomers
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Isn't that package called--you should pardon the express
Veg, i think you have a different kind of package on your mind.
Veg, i think you have a different kind of package on your mind.
58limited
Well-known member
The HEB grocery chain in Texas carries several varieties of ground meat chubs. You can get beef with various fat contents - its marked on the wrapper. I've had no problems with it and use it in cooking quite a bit. I've always been impressed with the quality of HEB's store brands (and the prices are good too) and was overjoyed when they finally moved into my area.
Is this really 73% lean and 27% fat? I now use Gimme Lean that comes in a tube in the refrigerated section at the organic market and at the vegetarian section of the grocery.
When I used to have to brown large quantities of ground beef, I would make large patties of it and put it on the broiler pan under the broiler. I would let it get very brown on one side then turn and repeat. I would then put them into the Cuisinart and crumble them.
When I used to have to brown large quantities of ground beef, I would make large patties of it and put it on the broiler pan under the broiler. I would let it get very brown on one side then turn and repeat. I would then put them into the Cuisinart and crumble them.
rocketeer500
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Ground beef in a tube
I, for one, have always enjoyed purchasing food in bulk, and then either freezing it or separating the bulk in readi-made portions. It saves in cost (overall) and you can then control the portions. GB in a prepackaged "chub" form is a great idea (tell me your toothpaste doesn't come in a tube?).
I've been buying this type of prepared GB for at least 10 years now. Now I can't speak for everyone here, but I sure don't have the time to stand over my Dormeyer, pushing a chuck roast thru; the end result is the same -- ground beef.
I say: three cheers for "chubs"!!!
I, for one, have always enjoyed purchasing food in bulk, and then either freezing it or separating the bulk in readi-made portions. It saves in cost (overall) and you can then control the portions. GB in a prepackaged "chub" form is a great idea (tell me your toothpaste doesn't come in a tube?).
I've been buying this type of prepared GB for at least 10 years now. Now I can't speak for everyone here, but I sure don't have the time to stand over my Dormeyer, pushing a chuck roast thru; the end result is the same -- ground beef.
I say: three cheers for "chubs"!!!
You'll notice a rather lengthy 'use by' window on these tubes of ground beef. Many of them are irradiated to increase shelf life. Your average ground-in-store cello-wrapped packages of ground beef have a window of oly 2 or 3 days. The tubes often have a 10-14 day window for use.
The irradiated beef has a slight odor of burned hair when you brown it. This bothered me at first, but now I'm used to it.
I buy the tubes cuz they're easy to store in the freezer and they defrost easily.
Browning large quantities of ground beef: Put 10-12 pounds in a stock pot, add enough water to cover the meat and boil it, stirring it frequently to break up clumps, especially before it comes to a boil. Boil until meat is no longer pink. Drain in a colander or large mesh strainer. This eliminates any chance of undercooked meat and it produces a nice tender product. One might argue there is slightly less beef flavor, but when making spaghetti sauce or sloppy joes for 200, it's much faster than browning 20 skillets' worth of meat. And far less messy.
The irradiated beef has a slight odor of burned hair when you brown it. This bothered me at first, but now I'm used to it.
I buy the tubes cuz they're easy to store in the freezer and they defrost easily.
Browning large quantities of ground beef: Put 10-12 pounds in a stock pot, add enough water to cover the meat and boil it, stirring it frequently to break up clumps, especially before it comes to a boil. Boil until meat is no longer pink. Drain in a colander or large mesh strainer. This eliminates any chance of undercooked meat and it produces a nice tender product. One might argue there is slightly less beef flavor, but when making spaghetti sauce or sloppy joes for 200, it's much faster than browning 20 skillets' worth of meat. And far less messy.
Where are we going?
I agree with Sandy. I purchase the grind with fat contents specific to the recipe I am making. If it is a good value, not buying chubs of ground meat would be silly. It just needs to be treated with respect and fully cooked. That said, I prefer burgers with pink in them and for that pupose I buy quality ground chuck. If roasts are on sale, you can make great inexpensive chopped sirloin/chuck in the food processor which is quicker than a grinder. Cut the meat in 2 inch cubes and chill it in the freezer for 20 minutes. Then grind in small batches, using on/off bursts. Roasts are often cheaper than stew meat as well if you're willing to cut your own cubes.
Kelly
I agree with Sandy. I purchase the grind with fat contents specific to the recipe I am making. If it is a good value, not buying chubs of ground meat would be silly. It just needs to be treated with respect and fully cooked. That said, I prefer burgers with pink in them and for that pupose I buy quality ground chuck. If roasts are on sale, you can make great inexpensive chopped sirloin/chuck in the food processor which is quicker than a grinder. Cut the meat in 2 inch cubes and chill it in the freezer for 20 minutes. Then grind in small batches, using on/off bursts. Roasts are often cheaper than stew meat as well if you're willing to cut your own cubes.
Kelly
polkanut
Well-known member
We don't buy ground beef anymore. We use ground venison instead. You honestly can't tell the difference, no "gamey" taste. In our part of the state, the deer eat corn, alfalfa, soybeans, and oats, all prime feed.
58limited
Well-known member
"Browning large quantities of ground beef...add enough water to cover the meat..."
Good idea for bulk cooking. Seems like you can save the water, skim the grease off, and have a good beef base for soup.
"I, for one, have always enjoyed purchasing food in bulk, and then either freezing it or separating the bulk in readi-made portions"
Me too. One of my little secrets is to hit the grocery stores on Sunday morning. They often have their one or two day old hamburger meat substantially reduced in price (sometimes more than 50% off) to get rid of it. Its still good but must be used or frozen within a day. I divide it into one pound portions and freeze it. Very handy since most recipes I cook call for 1, 2 or 3 pounds.
I've bought meat both ways. I tend to go with the tube when it's a betterr price OR when I am specifically looking for definite pound increments. If I needed to, I can also get 5 pounds of it in a tube. I buy it in thye tray if the price is better (on sale) OR I am needing specifically increments between the pounds or I am needing less than a pound of ground beef. It has never bothered me.
sudsmaster
Well-known member
I have usually found frozen ground beef to be less spoiled than in-store made ground beef.
I occasionally get a pack of three or four chubs from Costco. It's good for making spaghetti sauce. For burgers, I usually get the (regular fat) frozen patties. But I confess I don't consume a lot of beef any more. I transitioned to a more vegetarian approach, soaking beans, making my own bean/onion/pepper, for use as a meat subsitute with rice or with stock and assorted veggies for a tasty soup. When I eat this way, my cholesterol drops about 20% and I feel healthier.
I occasionally get a pack of three or four chubs from Costco. It's good for making spaghetti sauce. For burgers, I usually get the (regular fat) frozen patties. But I confess I don't consume a lot of beef any more. I transitioned to a more vegetarian approach, soaking beans, making my own bean/onion/pepper, for use as a meat subsitute with rice or with stock and assorted veggies for a tasty soup. When I eat this way, my cholesterol drops about 20% and I feel healthier.
exploder3211
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I wouldn't buy this kind again, but i would buy the 90/10 version wich is quite good..... Although adam eats way to many friggin burritos and this kinda crap... Ughh... Time for me to cook... Although i will need hlp from you guys and Esp. Toggles (for some greek recipes)
I prefer top grind the meat myself-I have the meat grinder attachment for a KA mixer-I also have one from Cabelas-Its best to grind the meat yourself at the time and quantity you need it.And YOU know who cleaned the grinder and what elese was ground in it.I would cook preground meat as well done as possible---because the processing plant could have ground pork in the same grinder without cleaning it before they ground the beef.It happens-even though the law says they have to thouroughly break down and clean the grinder in between types of meat.This isn't always done.There just isn't enough FDA inspectors to check these plants-so be warned.You don't want to get tricinousis.
