# Ground Beef Help **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2006, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204 "2006-03-28T04:31:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/1 "2006-03-28T04:31:02Z")
I hope I don’t sound like a total idiot. More so than usual… Anyway, I’ve been having a run of terrible luck with ground beef lately. The past three out of four packages I have bought have looked A-OK on the outside, but are bad under the surface. I know that ground beef is usually darker on the inside due to less oxygen making it down that far; however, we’re talking dark brown. I made the mistake of smelling it once and still have nightmares about the stench. What am I doing wrong? Is buying ground beef always such a gamble? I’ve tried different stores and gotten bad meat at each. I’d just say “screw it,” but I’m a big pasta person and the sauce just isn’t the same without ground beef. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/2 "2006-03-28T04:38:03Z")
For starters, take the meat back to the vendor and demand a refund. Also tell them that you will be sending a sample to the local Health Department for analysis. Oh, and do it too! Wait a couple of weeks, then see how your ground beef problem is miraculously solved. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/3 "2006-03-28T06:04:49Z")
That sounds like your local supermarket has a problem. STOP buying their ground beef until they fix it. AND call the health department like **kambuckta** said. They should be putting out freshly ground beef pretty much on a daily basis. The only time I ever saw something like what you describe has been when ground beef has been frozen, thawed out and allowed to sit in the refrigerator for a day or so. Blech!! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/4 "2006-03-28T07:26:30Z")
Go to a decent store and ask the meat department to grind up some fresh ground beef for you. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/5 "2006-03-28T12:34:53Z")
> [@Kolak of Twilo](#): > > That sounds like your local supermarket has a problem. Well I’ve tried several stores from different chains in the area so its’ not just one place. I think I’ll just take **Nemo** ’s advice. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/6 "2006-03-28T12:43:46Z")
I think your expectations are too high. Cook it and eat it. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/7 "2006-03-28T12:46:41Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > For starters, take the meat back to the vendor and demand a refund. > > Also tell them that you will be sending a sample to the local Health Department for analysis. Oh, and do it too! What do you think they’re going to tell you. . .that there’s harmful bacteria in it? It would be surprising would be if there wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/8 "2006-03-28T12:53:26Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > I think your expectations are too high. > > Cook it and eat it. Its’ dark brown and smells of death. I think I can do a little better. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/9 "2006-03-28T13:10:59Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > Its’ dark brown and smells of death. I think I can do a little better. Obviously, I haven’t smelled your EXACT ground beef, but, you’re saying this has happened with the past 3 out of 4 packages. I’ve had ground beef go dark brown and stinky. I’ve probably bought ground beef 1000 times in my life, and I don’t know if I’ve EVER thrown a package out. Maybe if I forgot about in the back of the fridge for 10 days. At least next time cook it. See if it still turns your stomach. Bacteria can stink. You kill bacteria when you cook it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/10 "2006-03-28T13:48:59Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > At least next time cook it. See if it still turns your stomach. Thank you, Julia Child. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/11 "2006-03-28T13:54:52Z")
I’d be more worried about the rosy-pink stuff. That means the packer introduced carbon monoxide under the seal in order to keep the meat looking fresher than it is. You can buy yourself some REALLY old and stinky beef that way. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/12 "2006-03-28T14:02:47Z")
I don’t mind ground beef that has turned brown. I don’t always cook it right away and if it’s been in the fridge for a couple days, it’s going to look a little weird. But the odor that makes you throw your head back? No fuckin’ way am I going to cook that. I toss it out in the OUTSIDE garbage because it’s grossening. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-beef-help/350204/13 "2006-03-28T14:11:22Z")
Go to a GOOD hardware store and buy a hand grinder. No it desn’t grind hands, well it could if you’re not careful, but it has a crank that you turn. Buy stew meat, round steak, chuck roast or whatever’s on sale and grind your own meat. There will be less bacteria on a major cut, such as chuck roast, then in a small portion of store ground meat. They look like this: [http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0029707516804a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnString=hasJS=true&\_D%3AhasJS=+&QueryText=grinder&\_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.22&Go.x=21&Go.y=15&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=grinder&noImage=0&returnPage=search-results1.jsp](http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0029707516804a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnString=hasJS=true&_D%3AhasJS=+&QueryText=grinder&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.22&Go.x=21&Go.y=15&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=grinder&noImage=0&returnPage=search-results1.jsp) I grind my own for Chili and burgers. Takes only a few minutes and I know what I’m eating. 😃