Hi there I am new here

I will actually be starting South Beach Monday but, I'm trying to clear up a few food questions and maybe round up a few Phase 1 recipes (especially for make ahead breakfasts) so I can grocery shop & food prep over the weekend.

Ok, this may sound like a dopey question but the book says you can have ground sirloin. I have no idea what the % of fat in ground sirloin is I do know that when I try to make a burger or meatloaf out of sirloin it is either dry or it falls apart on the grill In the markets, you can buy ground beef that is 80% lean or 93% lean and when you grill them they don't fall apart. Does anyone know what % of fat is still acceptable to have in ground beef on South Beach? As a former Atkins follower, who had success & unforunately is plateaued I have no trouble forfeiting burger buns & breadcrumbs in my meatloaf...I just ask a little moisture in my ground beef to keep it together on the occasions when I do want a burger or meatloaf.

I hope someone knows the answer. Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Broomy

to The Beach, Broomy. Please join us in the Daily Thread over in the Fat Chicks On The Beach Section.

Here's the scoop on the beef (which is in the Phase I Food List in the FAQ Section):
where the numbers mean lean to fat ratio.

Please remember that this is NOT a Low Carb plan. That's one of the hardest things for converts from Atkins. There is lots of information in the stickies in the three SBD sections including a REVISED Phase I Food List. Your book could be out of date.

Once again, WELCOME.

If you crack an egg into the meat mixture, it usually provides enough moisture to really help. I have also noticed that if you mix some lean ground turkey with lean ground beef it helps both the texture and flavour.

For meatloaf, I have been known to use an extra egg along with the tiny veggies (onions, squash, beans, whatever). I then kind of sear the loaf in a big skilet on very high heat (by sear I mean put it down let it cook for 2 mins and roll over) and then roll the loaf tightly in extra heavy duty aluminium foil and bake it like that on low heat for a good log time, (put it in a caserole in case of leaks). It seals the moisture in nicely that way.

If you are using ground beef in a recipe where it will be "loose" as opposed to forming it (as for burgers or meatloaf), you can significantly reduce the fat content by boiling it instead of frying it.

Just break it up into a saucepan, put in enough water to cover it, and bring it to a boil. Stir and boil it until it turns brown. Drain it. Then continue with the recipe. If the recipe calls for something to be cooked in the grease that remained in the pan, you'll have to use some healthy oil.

When ground beef is on sale, I cook it up, cool it, and freeze it in freezer bags - two cups per bag. I don't have a bag sealer, so I'll zip the bag almost closed, then use a straw to remove most of the air from the bag. If you freeze the bags flat, they store neatly in the freezer. If I want less than two cups, it's easy to break off a portion. It's easy to thaw either in the microwave, or by breaking it up and heating it with the other ingredients you'll use.

I kinda do this too, but I brown the ground beef in a pan, then rinse it under hot water in a colander. I do this if I only have reg ground beef and it's going into a casserole type thing that will have other flavors. You do rinse meat juices and flavor off too.