Anyone else rinse their hamburger?

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Taneil27
Taneil27 Posts: 253
in Food and Nutrition
Lately, I've been buying the fattier hamburger because it is much cheaper than the lean. So to make it healthier I have been draining the fat and then rinsing off the hamburger until their is basically no fat left. Then I season it myself so it has flavor. The thing is I have no idea how many calories I am saving by doing this. The package says that it is 280 calories per serving, and 200 of those calories are from fat. So, if I drained and rinsed it..... would you say I save about half those calories?
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Replies

  • gregpack
    gregpack Posts: 426 Member
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    What are you using, 73%?

    Well, if you want to really get anal about it you could catch and measure the fat removed from it. I'd be hesitant to go lower than 85% ground beef numbers.

    BTW, my local Sams sell 90% ground beef for 2.99/lb
  • MonicaT1972
    MonicaT1972 Posts: 512
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    Why not buy cheaper cuts of pure meat and grind it yourself? Way easier to keep the fat content down and way less work!
  • toysbigkid
    toysbigkid Posts: 545 Member
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    I was just going to suggest what Monica suggested, that's your best bet to what your doing
  • iKapuniai
    iKapuniai Posts: 594 Member
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    My advice is to just pay the little bit extra for leaner meat, because chances are you probably aren't saving a whole lot of money or calories doing what you're doing. But IDK, the store I go to is pretty cheap all around lol
  • WillPowerYes
    WillPowerYes Posts: 103 Member
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    Doing it the way you are (rinsing the cooked meat) is basically rinsing away the beef flavor, and leaving the flavoring to your seasoning. If you are looking for a way to have less calories (and not concerned about a "beefy" flavor), maybe switch to lean ground turkey and then use the same seasonings. Less calories, but similar flavor due to the seasoning, and easier.
  • Healthy_Janie
    Healthy_Janie Posts: 1
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    I rinse my hamburger! It does not matter what % I buy.. I just don't like the extra fat. If I need to put it back in the pan to finish the dish, I take a paper towel and wipe out the fat before readding the meat.

    It is not about being anal... I just don't like fatty burger juice all over my chin!! :)
  • Missmissy0003
    Missmissy0003 Posts: 250 Member
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    I have been doing this forever. I can't remember not rinsing my ground beef after cooking it , and I buy 93 to 95 percent lean. But I have no idea how many calories or grams of fat I'm saving. I just count it as its listed on the package and don't really consider whatever calorie savings I might have.
  • darrcn5
    darrcn5 Posts: 495 Member
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    No, and it had never occurred to me to do this.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
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    You can ask a grocery store to grind meat for you.
  • Shannota
    Shannota Posts: 312 Member
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    I used to do this when I lived with my parents...until my dad told me that the grease goes down the drain and clogs it. He said I would have to pay for the plumber, so I quit doing that. Now, I buy the leanest beef I can find...either at Aldi or Sam's Club.
  • Katie3784
    Katie3784 Posts: 543
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    If you are using the gorund beef to make burgers, you really should get a George Foreman Grill. I have had mine for over 10 years and it still works great. It takes off so much fat and they still taste really good.
  • spikefoot
    spikefoot Posts: 419
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    You can boil it in water to cook too. In the end you are left with fat water.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    No, I would never do that. Moderate to high amounts of fat are necessary for proper body function all the way down to the cellular level.

    I drain my hamburger (which is grass fed) and that is that.
  • Taneil27
    Taneil27 Posts: 253
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    I need to find a cheaper place to shop then. The organic grass fed 93% beef that I'd like to buy is like 6 dollars for a pound. And I just can't afford that right now. If I could afford to spend those extra dollars, I would.
  • WillPowerYes
    WillPowerYes Posts: 103 Member
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    I used to do this when I lived with my parents...until my dad told me that the grease goes down the drain and clogs it. He said I would have to pay for the plumber, so I quit doing that.
    Grease down the drain = plumber = any "savings" on cheaper meat is out the window [or would that be down the drain?].
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    I've rinsed it before. I don't think you can adjust off half the fat calories, though if you don't eat it often it won't matter much. I think a lot of the fat remains in there, and on there.

    If I want to buy better meat I justify it by eating meat less often. Or reward yourself with leaner meat for not buying Doritos and frozen pizzas and Taco Bell anymore, or whatever your former junk food (assuming you're like most of us). Though I don't think your method is any problem, either. But meatless meals more often throughout a week are usually money-savers, calorie-savers and more likely to be fiber-ful.
  • BeautifulKristen
    BeautifulKristen Posts: 281
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    eww rinse your meat.. gross. If you don't like the fat and crap why not buy a george forman and cook it that way??
  • LexyDB
    LexyDB Posts: 261
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    Hamburgers and high fat content help lose weight now then do they? Why are you buying them?

    And as for "Moderate to high amounts of fat are necessary for proper body function all the way down to the cellular level." this is true but HDLs not LDLs, fat from meat is the same consititution as your own body fat. How on earth will that help on a cellular level besides adding more fat to your body fat percentage? What is wrong with you people?

    What is wrong with a healthy alternative, spend money on chicken at least that won't be saturated in chicken fat when you remove the skin.
  • Devlyn_P
    Devlyn_P Posts: 294 Member
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    I rinse all my red meat that was vacuum sealed and blot it dry not due to the fat but because of possible congealed blood or bone saw fragments. However butcher cut steaks I throw straight onto the grill, yeah baby.
  • xTwK
    xTwK Posts: 121
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    When I rarely buy lean ground beef I always rinse the meat after I cook it. I'd rather get healthy fats from other sources than ingesting all the grease from the meat.

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