Ground beef is a versatile and commonly used meat in many dishes like hamburgers, meatballs, tacos, etc. When cooking ground beef, it releases grease or fat. This fat can add flavor to dishes, but too much grease is unhealthy and needs to be drained and disposed of properly. Dealing with all that leftover grease after cooking ground beef is an important kitchen skill. This article will go over different ways to handle and make use of grease from ground beef.
Why Does Ground Beef Release Grease When Cooked?
All meat contains fat and connective tissue. When ground beef is cooked, the fat melts and separates from the meat, resulting in hot grease pooling in the pan or skillet. The amount of grease rendered depends on the fat content of the beef. Higher fat percentages like 80/20 will release more grease compared to leaner 93/7 ground beef.
Here are some reasons why grease separates from ground beef during cooking:
- Heating causes the solid fat in meat to melt into liquid grease
- The marbling fat interspersed within the meat liquefies
- Connective tissues breakdown and release fat and collagen
- Moisture from the meat evaporates, leaving just the oil behind
This hot grease needs to be properly dealt with before consuming cooked ground beef.
Health Concerns of Consuming Excess Grease
Grease from ground beef is mostly composed of saturated and trans fats. Consuming high amounts of saturated fats from animal sources and trans fats can have negative health effects:
- Raises total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels
- Increases risk of heart disease and stroke
- May lead to weight gain and obesity
- Increases inflammation in the body
To avoid these risks, nutrition experts recommend limiting saturated fat intake to 5-6% of your total daily calories and trans fats to less than 1%. This is why draining off and disposing of excess grease from ground beef is recommended after cooking.
How Much Grease Comes Out of Ground Beef?
The exact amount of grease rendered from ground beef depends on a few factors:
- Fat content – Fattier ground beef will release more grease. As an estimate:
- 93/7 lean ground beef – 1/4 cup grease per pound
- 90/10 regular ground beef – 1/3 cup grease per pound
- 80/20 fatty ground beef – 1/2 cup grease per pound
- Cooking method – Frying or broiling on high heat causes more grease to be extracted compared to simmering or boiling.
- Doneness – Well done beef will render out more fat versus beef cooked rare or medium.
- Cooking time – The longer the beef cooks, the more grease released.
For reference, one pound of ground beef when fried may release around 1/3 to 1/2 cup of grease, depending on fat percentage.
Should You Pour Grease Down the Drain?
Pouring large amounts of grease or oil down your sink drain is generally not recommended. Here’s why:
- Grease can clog drains and pipes over time as it sticks to pipe walls and cools.
- Build up of fat in pipes can cause slow draining or bad odors.
- Grease may also cling to and react with residues in pipes to form soap scum.
- If poured down a sewer drain, it can negatively impact wastewater treatment systems.
Instead of putting grease down the drain, its better to collect it and dispose of it properly. Read on for tips on how to do this.
How to Dispose of Grease from Ground Beef
Here are some recommended methods to safely deal with grease leftover from cooked ground beef:
Pour into a Heat-Resistant Container
Pour the hot grease into a sturdy, heat-proof container like a metal can, glass jar or stainless steel bowl. Avoid pouring into plastic containers as the grease can warp or melt the plastic. Let the grease cool and place the covered container in the trash.
Absorb with Paper Towels
Scoop out as much grease as possible with a spoon or turkey baster, then use paper towels to wipe out the remaining oil in the pan. Bundle up the greasy paper towels and throw them directly in the garbage.
Mix with Kitty Litter
Pour off the grease into an absorbent material like unscented clay kitty litter. The kitty litter will soak up the oil. Discard the solidified grease-litter mixture in a trash bag when completely cooled.
Scrape into the Trash
Allow the grease to fully cool and solidify in the pan. Then scrape off the hardened fat into the garbage using a rubber spatula or spoon. Be careful when handling as the grease residue may still be slippery.
Wipe Out with Paper Towel
For small amounts of grease, you can simply wait for the pan to cool. Then use several layers of paper towels to wipe the remaining oil residue out of the pan before washing. Discard the soiled paper towels.
Use a Fine Mesh Strainer
Pour the hot grease into a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or paper towels placed over a heat-safe bowl. The filter will strain out the crispy cooked beef bits, leaving just the liquid fat. Dispose of the strained grease appropriately after it cools.
Can You Reuse Grease from Ground Beef?
While reusing a small amount of grease to enhance flavor when cooking ground beef again is generally fine, most experts advise against keeping large amounts of leftover grease for reuse. Here’s why:
- Risk of rancidity since grease can go bad relatively quickly
- Potential food safety issues if bacteria grows in the accumulated grease
- Keeping excess grease on hand promotes unhealthy eating
- Reheated and reused grease loses its flavor
For these reasons, it’s best to remove all visible grease and just dispose of it after cooking ground beef. But if you do intend to reuse grease, proper storage is key.
How to Store Leftover Grease
If reusing a small portion of beef fat, here are some storage tips:
- Let grease cool completely before storing
- Funnel into an airtight jar or container
- Refrigerate for up to 1 month
- Label jar with content and date
- Microwave just enough for use to liquify
- Use a clean utensil each time to remove grease
- Discard if smelling rancid or foamy in appearance
Only keep small 2-3 ounce portions. Dispose of any excess grease after cooking.
Creative Ways to Use Leftover Ground Beef Grease
While excessive grease intake should be limited for health reasons, you can reuse modest amounts of cooled clean grease in these creative ways:
Saute Vegetables
Add a spoonful of grease to oil when sauteing vegetables. The beef fat enhances flavor.
Render Pork Cracklings
Adding a bit of beef grease when cooking pork rinds helps them crisp up into cracklings.
Moisten Meats
Use a little grease to coat meats before roasting or grilling to add moisture and flavor.
Make Soap
Incorporate small amounts of beef tallow when making homemade soaps. Adds skin moisturizing properties.
Waterproof Leather
Apply a thin coating of grease to leather materials like shoes or saddles to make them water-resistant.
Lubricate Tools
Wipe cast iron, wood, and garden tools with a thin layer of grease to prevent rusting and lubricate.
Make Candles
Rendered beef fat can be used to make long-burning candles. Excellent emergency candle fuel.
Feed Birds
You can smear small amounts of cooled grease on bird feeders or mix with bird seed. Provides energy for birds in winter.
Conclusion
When cooking ground beef, rendering off grease into the pan is unavoidable. But excessive amounts of grease can negatively impact health and plumbing when poured down drains. Allow hot grease to cool completely before disposing into the trash. Wiping out pans, absorbing with kitty litter or paper towels, or using a fat separator makes clean up easier. While reusing limited portions of beef grease is possible, its best to avoid keeping large amounts of leftover fat from ground beef. With the right kitchen habits, managing grease from ground beef meals doesn’t have to be a messy hassle.