Lean red meat or fatty red meat... which is which?
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17798)
United States
November 8, 2012 8:41pm CST
I am trying to learn about meats...what is good, low cholesterol etc. I know chicken and fish are great. I dont' like fish, but I do eat alot of chicken...baked or steamed.
But in reading...they say to choose lean red meats and stay away from fatty red meats.
Okay, fine and dandy, but what's the difference? Which meats are considered lean and which are considered fatty?
At first thought, I would say pastrami is fatty, but I am not sure that is a red meat. Hotdogs are the worst-nothing but junk meats..and I don't eat them, but are they red meat, thereby a fatty red meat? I eat sirloin as ist is on sale for cheaper than ground beef, that is a red meat, but is it fatty or lean? Ground beef,...when I eat that is eat the 80/20% kind. the 90/10 is so dry I can't even swallow it without choking..literally. But it is red meat...freshly ground from the butcher..is it lean red or fatty red?
Anyone have anything to comment on this?
3 people like this
5 responses
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
9 Nov 12
Red meat like steaks, roasts and stew meats are easy to pick out which is lean and which is fatty. However the leaner the cut the tougher the meat is. If you can get a piece that only has thin streaks of white running through it you can balance between a tender cut and lean one. Also if you cook them in such a way that the fat drains off this will help, too.
As far a s hamburger goes ground chuck is less fat than regular hamburger. It is also quite tasty. Cook it over a low fire and slowly and also use a lid and you will minimize the drying out.
Unfortunately, if you have to be on a strict diet this catch phrase will sum up your options nicely. "If it tastes good, spit it out."
1 person likes this
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
9 Nov 12
You are right miami. As I have gotten older I find I don't desire red meat as much as I did when I was younger. This is probably a good thing. If we would listen to our body instead of trying to force it to eat what everyone else is eating or what we always ate when we were young we would be a lot better off.
riyauro, my little mouse will stop gyrating after he has been on your page for awhile until you shut your computer down and start it back up again.
@livewyre (2450)
•
10 Nov 12
Pastrami is red meat because it is beef.
Beef and lamb (and 'game' such as venison) are red meats - they vary in fat content, so choose the cuts of meat carefully - it really depends on how the animal has been raised. Minced meat can have a lot of fat in it - when I cook it, I fry it with onions and drain off excess fat before using it for pasta dishes such as Bolognaise or lasagne.
So, in conclusion, red meats can be either lean or fatty - you just need to choose carefully.
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
9 Nov 12
I'm like you. I don't care for fish at all. I do tend to eat chicken alot, more than my husband - he's the big red meat eater.
But when I buy ground beef I get the 80%/20% kind or ground chuck. Ground chuck I believe is an 80%/20% mix and it is tastier than regular ground beef. As far as steaks and the like when you choose them look for less marbled cuts if you are looking for leaner cuts. The more white marbling, the fatter that cut is. I either marinate my meats for an hour or so or else buy thinner cuts of steak and quickly cook them. The longer you cook meat the tougher and dryer it will become. I don't like rare so I cook it just until the meat loses the pink color. I generally go for sirloin or filet mignon if it is on sale.
Good luck and happy myLotting!!!
But when I buy ground beef I get the 80%/20% kind or ground chuck. Ground chuck I believe is an 80%/20% mix and it is tastier than regular ground beef. As far as steaks and the like when you choose them look for less marbled cuts if you are looking for leaner cuts. The more white marbling, the fatter that cut is. I either marinate my meats for an hour or so or else buy thinner cuts of steak and quickly cook them. The longer you cook meat the tougher and dryer it will become. I don't like rare so I cook it just until the meat loses the pink color. I generally go for sirloin or filet mignon if it is on sale.
Good luck and happy myLotting!!!
@FrugalMommy (1438)
• United States
9 Nov 12
I think pastrami is considered deli meat, and hotdogs are something else entirely, too.
With hamburger, it depends on what type you buy. 80/20 is 80% lean. In my house it falls into the fatty category. I normally buy a few pounds of 93/7 when it's on sale and freeze it until I'm ready to use it. I've never had any issues with it being too dry, but that might be because I usually put it in things like chili or hamburger helper-type meals.
A couple of lean cuts of meat are top round and eye round. You can usually tell how fatty a piece of meat is just by looking at it. 
