Vent: I used to swear by buying the cheapest ground beef until my stew came out greasy and sad

For years I grabbed the $3.99 a pound tube of ground beef at my local Safeway because it was the cheapest option. I thought I was saving big. Then last month I made a big pot of chili for a potluck and it came out swimming in a layer of gray grease. My buddy Dave took one bite and said 'man, this tastes like a wet sock.' That stung. He pointed out that the super cheap stuff has way more fat and water pumped in, so you actually lose more when you cook it. I did the math and now I buy the 85/15 blend for about $5.49 a pound and it shrinks way less. Ends up costing almost the same per serving and tastes ten times better. Has anyone else noticed this with their regular store brand ground beef?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jordan23d ago

idk man i feel like the wet sock comment was a bit harsh. maybe just drain the fat off and it's fine? i mean i've eaten plenty of the cheap stuff and never really noticed that much difference.

kais6723d ago

Wait. You've eaten cheap burger patties and NOT noticed the wet sock thing? That's wild to me. I can taste it every single time. It's that weird soggy texture mixed with a faint chemical aftertaste. Like the meat was washed in dishwater then shoved in a freezer for six months. Draining the fat helps a little but the damage is already done by then. The cheap stuff just has that distinct spongy feel once it hits your tongue. I'm honestly shocked you haven't picked up on it.