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Step 1
Order ground beef from your butcher for the freshest meat possible. Specify the cut of meat: sirloin, roast, stew meat, brisket and shank, among others. Cut determines the price per pound.
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Step 2
Look for meat that's red to red-brown (sometimes the top layer of the meat will oxidize and turn slightly brown). The meat shouldn't be gray or green-gray in color and should be cold to the touch.
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Step 3
Go for the fat. The higher the fat content, the cheaper the beef. Regular ground beef and hamburger top the list at 30 percent.
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Step 4
Choose chuck if you want less fat. It usually contains 15 to 20 percent, so it's still moist and flavorful, but not as dry as ground sirloin and ground round or as juicy as regular ground beef.
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Step 5
Wrap meat in a plastic bag and buy at the end of your grocery trip so it stays in the refrigerated section as long as possible.
