# Water in my ground beef? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 22, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-in-my-ground-beef/235650 "2004-03-22T01:47:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-in-my-ground-beef/235650/1 "2004-03-22T01:47:38Z")
There’s always been a certain amount of moisture in hamburger. Sometimes, though, there seems to be quite a lot. Are butchers allowed to add water up to a certain percentage, as they do fat, to attain that level. Notice that I’m _not_ asserting a conspiracy here, just curious. I gotta go drain my boiled hamburger now. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-in-my-ground-beef/235650/2 "2004-03-22T03:13:09Z")
Did you freeze it and then re-thaw it? water might be sucked out of the beef during rethawing leaving you with dry beef in a watery soup. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-in-my-ground-beef/235650/3 "2004-03-22T03:25:24Z")
I’ve noticed the same thing **mangeorge** , and there seems to be a strong correlation between which store I buy the ground cow at, and the amount of water it produces. I prefer to buy at the low water stores, despite the somewhat higher price. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-in-my-ground-beef/235650/4 "2004-03-22T03:33:59Z")
In the US, the FDA allows a certain amount of extra water to be added to meats. So systems exist for adding such water. So some businesses add more than they are legally allowed. Given that enforcement budgets are continually being cut, expect the problem to get worse rather than better. Chickens are most notorious for having extra water added. One thing to look for is “puddling” in the bottom of the meat package. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-in-my-ground-beef/235650/5 "2004-03-22T03:56:57Z")
I’ve seen the same. When the Mrs. gets it from “Lo-Bill”, there is an enormous amount of water that comes off it. When she gets it from a better supermarket, there’s far less. When I bother to grind it myself from whole cuts, there is even less (and it’s far less fatty–I have to add fat to it if I want to make hamburgers). ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-in-my-ground-beef/235650/6 "2004-03-23T01:59:16Z")
> [@Dogface](#): > > I’ve seen the same. When the Mrs. gets it from “Lo-Bill”, there is an enormous amount of water that comes off it. When she gets it from a better supermarket, there’s far less. When I bother to grind it myself from whole cuts, there is even less (and it’s far less fatty–I have to add fat to it if I want to make hamburgers). I’ve been thinking of grinding my own. I have a Kitchenaid (the big one). Is the grinder attachment adequate, you think? Ever since I saw that report on tv where they grind meat with a giant machine into what looks like a commercial laundry tub I’ve been a little hinky about GB. 😉