The trick to opening tube meat without a mess: Video tutorial

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Ground beef is a versatile meat in many kitchens and a staple in many diets. It’s also something that can be bought in bulk, portioned up and frozen for later. 

It’s common to find ground meat sold in tube packaging. This method of packaging has some benefits, among them enabling you to deal with the raw meat without having to touch it with your bare hands. Of course, you should maintain proper handwashing and cleaning of your utensils and surfaces any time you’re handling raw meat.

Watch this video to see a mess-free way to open tube meat.

The best way to open a tube of meat

Put down the knife! Opt for kitchen scissors when opening a tube of meat. Start by cutting one end open. Then, instead of squeezing the packaging like a tube of toothpaste, twist the end that’s still sealed to gently push the meat out. This is an easy way to get it all out of the packaging without having to touch the raw meat. 

If you don’t have kitchen scissors handy, take a knife and make a shallow cut across the center, rotating until you’ve cut around the whole packaging. The cut should go just deep enough to pierce the packaging. Then, squeeze both sides of the packaging over a plate, bowl or skillet to remove the meat. 

How to easily portion ground beef

Tubed meat and ground beef are great in larger portions for portioning out and freezing. 

One trick to help you easily portion out tubed meat is to freeze it slightly before cutting it. The 30-40 minutes in the freezer makes it less squishy and provides a little more control when you’re slicing it. 

Easy ways to portion tube meat: 

• Cut off one end of the packaging. Take a resealable bag and place it over the open end. Squeeze and twist out the portion size you want. Get the air out as you seal the bag, then press the meat so it is flat. The meat will freeze (and defrost!) faster, and it’s easier to store.
• Cut individual burger patties and store them in a bag with a piece of parchment paper in between each one. This prevents them from sticking together so you can freeze them in one bag, but remove as few or as many as you want at a time.  
• Some packages have premarked portion sizes on the container. Use this as a guide to equally cut and portion it out. 

Don’t forget to label and date the bags before stashing them in the freezer.

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Best ground beef for burgers 

A trip to the grocery store could have you scratching your head when it comes to which ground beef to buy for your burgers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines lean beef as 100 grams of beef that has less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 or less grams of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol. The lower percentages contain more fat and are often considered more flavorful.

Use 70-75% lean for: 

• Burgers on the stovetop.
• All-beef meatloaf. 

Use 80-85% lean for: 

• Burgers on the grill. 
• Stuffed peppers.
• Chili. 

Use 90% lean for: 

• Blended meatloaf.
• Meatballs.
• Tacos.

Use 92-96% lean for: 

• Extra-lean beef recipes
• Low-fat diets.