Ground Beef Experiment

Ingredients needed for experiment:

Board - Write on board the cost per pound for the regular, lean and extra lean that was purchased for comparison.

Background for Teachers

The teacher needs to have a basic understanding about ground beef and the difference in fat, flavor and moistness between the three types - regular, lean, and extra lean.

Student Prior Knowledge

The student needs to have a basic understanding about ground beef and the difference in fat, flavor and moistness between the three types - regular, lean, and extra lean.

Intended Learning Outcomes

The student will learn some basic information about ground beef, its terminology, types depending on its fat content, safe handling practices, and properly preparing it comparing the moistness and flavor between the regular, lean and extra lean cooked ground beef.

Instructional Procedures

Meat Lecture - Continue from previous class any information that was not covered completely.

Ground Beef Lecture - Refer to notes on Lecture on Ground Beef for information to be discussed with students. Lecture should take no more than 30 minutes.

Lab Experiment: Hand out to each student the Experiment paper to be filled out completely and turned in before leaving class. Read and explain to the students how to complete the experiment.

Have the ground beef labeled and prepackaged before class. (I usually do it the day before during my prep and put them all together in a large baggie. I label each 1/4 lb. ground beef wrapped in waxed paper with a separate piece of masking tape with a "R" for regular, "L" for lean and "XL" for extra lean for identification.)

Make sure the students use three separate fry pans and are aware of which ground beef pattie is in which pan.

They will need to complete their chart with the cost/lb.; form each of the labeled ground beef's into a pattie and measure the size dimensions using a ruler before being cooked; cook it completely in a separate fry pan; measure the amount of drippings left in pan; remeasure the size dimensions of the pattie after it was cooked; evaluate each for moistness and flavor.

The student will then answer the questions on the bottom from their experience of today's experiment.

Make sure the students clean off their stove tops from the splattering of the grease and clean their pans thoroughly before putting away. I like to have them bring them up so I can check them individually.

Clean up their units and sanitize their countertops and return the rulers clean. Collect papers before leaving.