Ground beef vs Ground turkey

[june09bandit 0]

When I use ground beef, I always use lean meat. After I brown it, I drain the grease then rinse the meat in very hot Water (in a colander) to get off as much fat as possible. Based on this, how much difference is there between the ground beef and ground turkey for use in Chili? I actually use a combination, but I wonder if I'm fooling myself into thinking the ground beef is healthy after it's rinsed.

Thanks for your words of wisdom!

[june09bandit 0]

Bump for input!

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

According to Cooking Light:

Ground Beef vs. Ground Turkey: For backyard barbecue, your first instinct may be to choose ground turkey rather than ground round. But unless it's made only from breast meat, ground turkey isn't the low-fat option you might think it is. In fact, the calorie and fat amounts in ground round and regular ground turkey are surprisingly close, with the beef at 218 calories and 13 fat grams and the turkey at 200 calories and 11 fat grams. To save calories, go for ground turkey breast, which knocks calories down to 161 and slashes the fat almost in half. Ground Round (3 ounces, pan-browned)

218 calories

13 grams fat

77 milligrams cholesterol

Ground Turkey Breast (3 ounces, roasted, boneless)

161 calories

6 grams fat

63 milligrams cholesterol

Ground turkey doesn't always suit me....it's fine in stuff like chili or taco seasoning because the seasoning is heavy enough to mask the poultry taste but for burgers, I go for the 80/20 or 90/10 lean ground beef (I think it's actually ground round). I didn't sign up for this to suffer and to eat a burger that tastes like turkey just isn't for me, LOL

[june09bandit 0]

Thank you Cathy! My main reason for the beef preference in purely economic - ground turkey breast is somewhat more expensive. I just didn't want to sabotage myself comletely while saving a couple of dollars.

[kiz 1]

That's a great question, and thanks for the info you provided Cathy.

For a hamburger, I always use ground beef. I usually buy the 93% fat free.

For chili, spaghetti sauce, and the like, I usually use the Jennie-O 99% fat free turkey. I don't notice in difference in taste, and I'm not so concerned about using it to lose weight because I eat such a small amount, but I do think it's a healthier choice for my whole family. However, I will only go so far in the sacrifice of taste and texture because I don't think lean ground beef is such a bad choice.

This is the nutritional info for the 99% lean turkey:

Nutrition (per serving)

Serving Size 112 g (4 ounces)Total Carbohydrates 0 g Calories 120 Dietary Fiber 0 g Calories From Fat 15 Sugars 0 g Total Fat 1.5 g Protein 26 g Saturated Fat .5 g Vitamin A 0 % Trans Fat .0 g Vitamin C 0 % Cholesterol 55 mg Iron 4 % Sodium 70 mg Calcium 0 %

[btrieger 21]

There is always the old wives tale about red meat causing cancer as well.

[Jachut 487]

I think you just use what is appropriate for whatever you're cooking.

I buy the 5 star lean ground beef - which here in Australia is pretty lean. I always brown it off, tip out the fat, rinse it and pat it dry too, so its really a very reasonable option. I wouldnt substutite turkey for things like spaghetti sauce and chilli because I can taste the difference, but I would always use turkey or chicken for something like Thai chicken Cakes, stir fries, stuff like that.

Red meat is high in Iron and most women benefit from a few serves a week. Its more a function of how much other saturated fat you have in your diet - if you avoid the bad things like deli meats, cheeses, full fat dairy, you can afford to use the beef.

[reneek 1]

I am very lucky i was raised on deer meat. My husband is a deer hunter and always shots about two deer per year. I haven't bought ground beef in 10 years since i have been married to him.

Ground deer has less calories and fat then ground turkey or ground beef. Now ground turkey breast might be less. We do eat it staight up we do not mix it with pork or beef we are so used to the wild game taste. some people do mix it because they don't like the wild taste but after so many years you don't taste it anymore

ground deer

3 oz

159 calories

7 grams of fat

Edited December 17, 2009 by reneek

[btrieger 21]

3 ounces of 99% fat free turkey breast is only 90 calories and contains less than 1 gram of fat.

I like the taste of turkey more than beef and the only time I have ground beef is when I am at a cookout.

[june09bandit 0]

Thank you all for your words of wisdom! Now if I could just fine tune the rest of my diet for success....

[soocalchic 1,087]

I can not believe that you guys actually wash the meat after it is cooked. Fat in meat= flavor. I would rather have a fattier cut of meat and have less of it than have more of a Protein that tastes like cardboard. Sorry guys I'm just not with the washing of the meats.< /p>

[willowcat 93]

I don't think the fat in turkey is as saturated as it is in beef--better for your arteries and heart, I think.

[k-statearmywife 6]

You should get rid of meat altogether and try a leaner alternative that is better for you AND the environment!

Try Morningstar Crumbles, Texturized Vegetable Protien (TVP), or TOFU in place of ground beef or turkey in nearly any recipie!

Seriously...think about what's healthiest for you and the planet.

[Jachut 487]

I don't think the fat in turkey is as saturated as it is in beef--better for your arteries and heart, I think.

Saturated fat is saturated fat, its all the same. There is often less of it in poultry than in red meat, but dont assume so. Really lean ground beef could easily have less saturated fat than chicken or turkey, depending on what's gone into the mix.

Probably the worst choice is the budget stuff, that's just lips and assholes and very fatty. You'd need to always buy the lean one.

[greytz 4]

Fat is fat is fat. Choose very lean beef or choose turkey depending on your taste and enjoy the small amount of it you get. Choose it for what tastes best. As far as budget goes, get it when it is on sale. It is really the only way to get lean beef at a decent price. I don't personally eat hardly any red meat. I guess your taste changes with the band at least mine did. I can't hardly stand ground meat any more. I very occasionally enjoy and really good cut of prime but only 3 ozs and grilled med/rare.