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Beef crumble yield for cheap ground beef

5K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  Grainlady 
#1 · (Edited)
I made a double batch of beef crumbles today. I picked up two 10 pound packages of 73/27 ground beef today. I've made crumbles before but never actually measured the weight once I've finished. I made the crumbles in two different ways. I boiled one 10 lb chub on the stove in my large pasta pot with the insert. I cooked the other chub in two crockpots on high. I just cut the chub in half, dumped the beef in the crocks, then covered the beef with water and ignored them for about 5 hours or so.

I've only measured the stove top cooked beef. I poured out the layer of fat in the top of the pot and got about 5 cups of yummy liquid fat:yucky:. I'm sure there was still a little that went down the drain so we'll say between 5 and 5 1/2 cups of pure fat:yucky:. At the end, I was left with about 5 pounds 3 ounces of beef crumbles. I did try to drain the crumbles as well as possible to get the most accurate weight.

So, if I've done the math correctly:

10 lb chub of 73/27 $14.87

5.1875 lbs crumbles after cooking

Price per pound of beef crumbles:

14.87/5.1875= $2.87 a pound

Super lean beef runs over $3.99 a pound here. So although the applications are a little more limited, I'm saving about $1.12 a pound.

Now after doing the math, I'm leaning even more toward dumping beef entirely and just eating chicken. At $1 a pound or less, it really is a better deal and much healthier.

Anyway, just thought I would post this in the chance it might be helpful.

Christy
 
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#3 · (Edited)
Don't forget to factor the waste of bone-in meat when you figure that price per pound.... I often purchase less-expensive cuts of beef and pork, or reduced meats, and grind my own ground beef or make my own bulk sausage for additional savings.

Here's a "Cost Per Serving Calculator" you might find helpful....

http://www.cheapcooking.com/costperserving.htm

It's also somewhat surprising to calculate the price of a can of tuna to a per-pound amount. If a can of tuna costs $1.05 for 5-oz., that equals $3.36 a pound. A can of tuna costing .62/5-oz. = $1.94/pound.

I try to keep meat prices to $2.00/pound or lower, OR no more than 1/5 of my weekly food budget, which would be $10/week for meat.

Another great way to save is to enjoy several vegetarian (or meat-alternative) meals each week. You can include alternatives like eggs/dairy/beans very nicely in most diets. We happen to like homemade bean burgers served on a homemade multi-grain hamburger bun.

Before dropping beef entirely, don't forget it's a major source of iron in the diet (especially important if you are a woman). You may want to add other foods high in iron to supplement the lack of beef.
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the info! I would love to have your recipe for bean burgers. We are very happy to eat veggie meals around here. My 2 year old son would rather eat beans than meat anyday.

Also, I am pretty careful about iron in the diet. I cook in cast iron and my multivitamin has iron. The reason I'm thinking of dropping red meat entirely is due to my very high risk of colon cancer. Red meat just increases that risk. Everytime I eat a steak or hamburger I feel like I'm asking for it! Thanks for the info.

Christy
 
#4 ·
Thats great awesome amount of crumbles u made and plus everyhting all ready now for meals to come. congrats


quote "I'm sure there was still a little that went down the drain "

U should make sure u pour it into a plastic dish(liquid water) and let cool then scrape off the fat into your compost. otherwise u may have problems down the road for your pipes. Id be putting up the vineag and baking soda right quick with hot water down that sink.
 
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#5 ·
Don't worry, I didn't put that fat down the sink. I strained the liquid into big pot and then scraped off/scooped out the fat and put it in old milk jugs in the trash. I didn't save any of the broth this time since I had no room in the freezer, so that did go down the drain with lots of hot water and dish soap! Thanks for the warning, though.

Christy
 
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