As our primary line of ground beef, Our Certified^™ is available in a wide range of lean points and source grinds, providing choices for every preference. Sold through select grocery stores nationwide, Our Certified ground beef delivers quality and freshness you can taste in every delicious bite.
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Delivering great performance for any application, Skillet Essential^® brings great ground beef to the table at a value price. Available in both 73/27 and 80/20 lean points, Skillet Essential is a great choice for any meal from burgers to spaghetti.
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Produced regionally to ensure the freshest ground beef possible, Meadowland Farms^® ground beef is designed to support your busy lifestyle. Offering a wide range of lean points and source grinds, Meadowland Farms is where fresh meals begin.
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While it isn't a brand you're likely to see while shopping, Excel^® ground beef represents the majority of the ground beef we deliver. Usually packaged in-store by our retail grocery customers, this is the ground beef you'll most commonly find in overwrapped trays in your grocer's meat case.
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There are many more brands in the Cargill ground beef family that you may find at your local grocery store. And all of them promise the same high quality and great flavor you expect from Cargill brands.
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Enjoy your ground beef and maintain a healthy diet with higher lean points.

What's lean and what's not?

When you look at any package of ground beef, you'll see a ratio that ranges from 73/27 to 96/4. This number is called the lean point, and represents the lean-to-fat ratio of that particular grind. For example: if the lean point is listed at 73/27, there is 73 percent lean beef and 27 percent fat content in the package. While 73/27 has a higher fat content, other grinds can be as lean as 96/4, with only 4 percent fat content. To be called "lean," ground beef must have a lean point of 92% lean/8% fat or higher.

Why does ground beef have fat?

Fat helps give ground beef a wonderful, buttery beef flavor. Generally, the higher the fat content in ground beef, the more juice it will deliver and flavor it will preserve. However, leaner grinds can deliver an equally desirable beefy flavor, depending on how they are used. So understanding what lean points are best for various applications can help you enjoy ground beef to the fullest without sacrificing your healthy diet.

Lean Point: 73/27 – 81/19

Attributes: Exceptional flavor and juiciness · Helps bind meat together for patties or meatballs
Best in: Burgers, meatloaf, meatballs, Salisbury steak

Lean Point: 83/17 – 89/11

Attributes: Delicious flavor and great texture · Ideal for use when beef is the king of the plate
Best in: Meatballs, leaner burgers, pizza topping, meatloaf, chili

Lean Point: 90/10 – 92/8

Attributes: Great for use as an ingredient when cooking · Ideal for making your favorite meals leaner
Best in: Lasagna, chili, enchiladas, burritos, spaghetti, casseroles, tacos, sloppy joes

Lean Point: 93/7 – 96/4

Attributes: Leanest grinds available · 96% lean grinds are given Heart-Check mark as a heart-healthy food · Primarily used as an ingredient in lean, healthy foods
Best in: Asian lettuce wraps, cabbage rolls, tacos, stuffed peppers, tostadas

Source Grinds

Ground beef derived from a single area of the animal is known as a source grind. Ground sirloin, for example, is ground beef sourced from the sirloin area of the animal, and typically falls at the 90% lean/10% fat content. Other source grinds include ground round (typically 85% lean/15% fat) and ground chuck (typically 80% lean/20% fat). This graphic depicts the areas of the animal from which these source grinds are derived.

Choosing the right lean point is important when preparing healthy meals for your family. Just match the lean point to your menu, and you'll be eating more healthfully in no time!

August 2010: Guinness World Record set for most hamburgers eaten in 3 minutes. Takeru Kobayashi of Japan consumed ten burgers in 3 minutes.