The USDA defines lean beef as a 3.5-ounce serving containing less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and 95 milligrams of cholesterol. When shopping, you can identify these options by looking for specific keywords and grades:
: You can ask a butcher to trim excess fat from a specific cut or grind a lean roast (like a chuck roast) specifically for you, which can sometimes be cheaper than buying pre-packaged lean ground beef.
: Independent butchers are more likely to source from local farms, which can reduce the environmental impact and stress on the animals, often resulting in better flavor.
: These grades usually have less marbling (intramuscular fat) than "Prime" cuts.