When searching for The Very Best Burger and what is the best lean to fat ratio, Schweid & Sons has you covered. Whether it’s a Prime Burger or a C.A.B. All American, we have a Burger flavor profile for just about all tastes, with what we think is the perfect ratio of lean and fatty meat blends. 

It can get confusing knowing what ratio of lean to fatty meat is the right ratio. Leaner may seem healthier, but a little fat makes a juicier and tastier Burger. Percentages matter, but we don’t expect you to be a numbers expert, that’s our job as beef experts with over four generations of experience and expertise! 

By law, the highest fat content allowed in ground beef is 30%. So that means 70% of the blend is lean. The most common lean-to-fat ratios you’ll find when shopping for Burgers are:  

• 80% lean/20% fat 
• 85% lean/15% fat 
• 75%lean/25% fat 

 At Schweid & Sons, almost all of our Burgers are a 75/25 ratio – we think it’s kind of the perfect balance. Out of those three most common ratios, this meat blend offers a Burger that is nice and pink with lots of flavors. In fact, in general, juicy, more flavorful Burgers come from the higher-fat ratios of ground beef.  

 So what does it mean to be lean? 

 The USDA defines lean as no more than 10 grams of fat ( 4.5g of that is saturated) per 100 grams (extra lean is even less). Lean meats are taken from what are considered top cuts, from the hardest working muscles of the animal where there is less fat.   

Lean cuts include:    

• Eye round 
• Sirloin tip side 
• Top round from the hip area 
• Bottom round  
• Top sirloin  

 Because of the absence of marbling, on their own, lean meats can be pretty tough and dry, which is why for the juiciest Burgers, lean meat is mixed with higher fat content. 

 So, what about the fat? 

 Fat is just as important in a Burger as the kind of meat in it. The fat, and the marbling it creates, are what makes the flavor of the meat even richer and juicier. Basically, fat means flavor, and it makes the meat softer and easier to chew.  

The cuts of meat that have the highest fat content include:  

• Filet mignon  
• Porterhouse 
• T-Bone  
• Ribeye  

 At Schweid & Sons, we rate each of our Burgers and ground beef products on what we call the Schweid-O-Meter. This gives you a quick snapshot of how the product measures in terms of flavor, tenderness, and marbling. You can even see where the cut of meat in each blend comes from on the animal. 

Check out all of our great Burger blend options by shopping online or at the meat counter of your favorite local grocer. 

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