To say it’s been hot in Lyon County is definitely an understatement.  That makes keeping heat out of the kitchen a priority.  One strategy you may want to utilize is firing up your outside grill and for many families that means hamburgers are on the menu. 

     When selecting ground beef, as with any food purchase, it’s important to read the label.  According to the Cattleman’s Beef Board and National Cattleman’s Association, ground beef packages are labeled according to USDA standards and by supermarket preferences.  The ratio indicates the percent lean to percent fat of the beef.  If your package is labeled 80/20 ground chuck, chuck indicates the primal muscle from which the meat was ground.  Consumers have to determine if their objective is a juicier burger or a lean burger when making their fat content selection of ground beef.  Generally, the higher the fat content the juicier the burger. 

     The temperatures we’ve been experiencing make food safety a real issue and this starts at the grocery store.  The shorter the time from the meat case to the refrigerator, the fresher the ground beef will stay.  Make the meat case one of your last stops before checkout and make sure the package feels cold.  Have a cooler to transport the beef home.  If you can use the whole package in a day or two, store it in the refrigerator.  You won’t need to rewrap the ground beef if it comes wrapped in clear film or moisture/vapor-proof meat wrap.  If your refrigerator has a meat keeper, store it there, the coldest part of the refrigerator. 

     For longer storage, rewrap or over-wrap ground beef in wrappings designed for the freezer – heavy duty aluminum foil, heavy duty plastic bags or freezer bags.  Press out as much air as possible to avoid freezer burn. 

     Big economy ground beef purchases may get you the most for your money but a little storage work will be required.  Divide the ground beef into smaller packages, the size that you typically use, before freezing.  Ground beef moved out of the freezer and into the refrigerator the night before you intend to use it will generally be defrosted in time to cook the next evening.  Never refreeze defrosted ground beef and be sure to use it as soon as possible after defrosting.  Uncooked ground beef can be frozen for three to four months, cooked combination dishes should be used within two to three months. 

     Hamburgers are a favorite, particularly in the warm weather months, but your family is sure to enjoy the many other cuts of beef in the marketplace.  When purchasing cuts of beef, some general hints can help determine the cooking technique required.  The shape of the bone in the beef cut can be a guide.  Cuts with angular and flat bones, T-bone, pin bone, wedge bone, rib bone, all represent the more tender steaks and roasts.  Cuts with round bones, shoulder blades bone and lower rib bones indicate less tender cuts of beef. 

     How much beef to buy can be easily answered:  beef with no bone (like ground beef), 1 pound for 4-5 servings; beef with little bone or fat (like round steak), 1 pound for 3 to 4 servings; beef with medium bone or fat (like chuck blade roast), 1 pound for 2 to 3 servings; beef with large amount of bone or fat (like short ribs), 1 pound for 1 to 2 servings. 

     These tips help you set perfectly grilled beef on your family table.  Cook all beef cuts at low-to-medium temperatures unless otherwise stated.  Watch beef carefully during grilling. Grilling time can vary with the cut of beef, position of the grill, weather, temperature of the coals, and degree of doneness desired.  Use a water spritzer to put out flare-ups when cooking on a brazier-style grill.  Spray lightly to prevent food from being covered with loose ashes. 

     Determine doneness of steaks by making a small slit near the bone and check color; for boneless cuts, make a slit near the center.  Use a meat thermometer to accurately determine the doneness of large cuts of beef cooked in a covered cooker.  An instant-read thermometer can also be used to gauge doneness of small and large cuts of beef.  Remove roasts from the grill when meat thermometer registers five degrees below desired doneness.  Temperature of roast will rise about five degrees during standing.  Allow roast to stand “tented” with aluminum foil for 15 to 20 minutes after removing from grill.  Standing time facilitates easier carving.