how to BUY & COOK the best

Cooking Instructions:

1. Season 1 lb (500 g) ground beef, and combine with beaten egg and � cup (50 mL) bread crumbs or oatmeal, if desired.
2. Shape into 4-6 (3/4"/2 cm thick) evenly shaped, flat patties. Don�t overhandle meat.
3. Broil, grill or pan fry until well-done (about 5 min/side). Well-done burgers are brownish throughout with clear juices (no pink showing).

NOTE: Adding bacon or other hickory smoked products or seasonings will make ground beef stay pink even when it is fully cooked.

Seasoning Variations:

1. BASIC - Mix ground beef with ¼ c (50mL) BBQ sauce, ½ tsp (2 mL) seasoning salt and ¼ tsp (1 mL) pepper.
2. TEX-MEX - Stir a mixture of 1 tsp (5 mL) each of chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder and garlic powder into ground beef.
3. HERB & SPICE - Combine 1 Tbsp (15 mL) dried parsley or chives, 1 tsp (5 mL) each of paprika and garlic powder and ¼ tsp (1 ml) pepper with ground beef.
4. GREEK - Combine 1 tsp (5 mL) each lemon pepper, garlic powder and dried lemon peel and ½ tsp (2 mL) dried rosemary or oregano with ground beef.

Nutrition Tip

1. The maximum fat content of the different types of ground beef is:

   • Extra Lean

     10 %

   • Lean

     17 %

   • Medium

     23 %

   • Regular

     30%

2. Adding ground beef to dishes like chili increases the amount of iron your body can absorb from other ingredients (i.e. beans).

Helpful Hints

1. Ground beef can be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
2. Defrost ground beef in the refrigerator (6-9 hrs/lb. Or 14-20 hrs/kg) or in the microwave - never on the counter.
3. It is natural for the inside of the package of ground beef to be much darker in colour than the bright red of the outside surface. When the meat in the centre is exposed to the air, oxygen will turn this meat bright red also.
4. Wash hands and utensils thoroughly before and after handling ground beef.
5. Use regular or medium ground beef when the meat can be broiled, BBQ�d or browned and drained before adding other ingredients, and lean or extra lean when the meat is not precooked (e.g. Cabbage rolls, meatloaf, casseroles).
6. Patties hold together best if covered and refrigerated on a plate for about 1 hour before cooking. Always wash a plate that has held raw burgers before using it to hold cooked burgers.

Recipe Suggestions
International Burgers