When talking about ground beef it is important to distinguish between anatomic location for a cut of meat versus the allowed or specified fat content. Another factor affecting the quality of the ground beef is its USDA grade.
Term for Cut
Location on Animal
chuck
shoulder just distal to head (posterior upper thorax)
sirloin
back proximal to round (posterior lumbar)
round
buttocks and proximal hindquarters (thighs)
A ground beef type may or may not contain only meat from the respective cut depending on the butcher.
Type
Percent Fat
ground beef
27% (up to 30%)
ground chuck
20% (15-20%)
ground round
15% (10-15%)
ground sirloin
10% (8-12%)
lean ground beef
5-10%
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