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The Turkish pantry

Beef (ground)

Beef mince varies in fat content and grind, two details that matter when choosing a product.

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Raw minced beef. Our etliekmek specifies 15–20% fat; species, fat level and grinding are separate buying details.

Raw ground beef with irregular pink-red strands and white fat flecks

Types & forms

85% lean / 15% fat

The exact raw form used for the nutrition reference.

80% lean / 20% fat

Another recipe option with more fat and different nutrition.

Very lean mince

Can cook drier; not the specified fat range.

What to look for when buying

  • Ask for beef mince with a stated fat percentage.
  • Choose a cold intact pack; color alone does not establish safety.

Prepare & cook

  • Keep chilled until mixing and clean hands and utensils after handling.
  • Check the topping reaches 160°F. Browning alone is not a safety test.

Store it well

  • Refrigerate at 40°F or below and use within one to two days, or freeze promptly.
  • Thaw in a container in the refrigerator.

Substitutions depend on the dish

Lamb mince

Changes flavor and fat composition. Follow a lamb topping recipe rather than claiming the same beef result.

Related skills

  • Mushroom slices browning in a shallow skillet as a cook turns them with a wooden spatula.

    Dry-Heat Cooking

    Brown food in a pan

    Recognize the difference between food releasing liquid and food beginning to brown.

Nutrition

Raw ground beef, 85% lean / 15% fat [1]

Per 100 g edible portion
NutrientAmount
Energy215 kcal
Protein18.6 g
Total fat15 g
Saturated fat5.72 g
Carbohydrate0 g
Dietary fiber0 g
Total sugars0 g
Sodium66 mg
Cholesterol68 mg
Calcium15 mg
Iron2.09 mg
Potassium295 mg
Vitamin D0.1 µg

This reference is 15% fat raw beef; 20% fat mince and cooked meat differ. Values are rounded for readability; “not reported” does not mean zero. A “<” value is below the source’s measurement limit.

[1] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)

Nutrition values come from the reference source named above. They are published reference values, not our own measurements. Actual products and cooking methods may change the values.

At the Turkish table

Our Konya-style home etliekmek uses beef mince.

Cook with Beef (ground)

Thin open meat-topped flatbread cut into pieces on a wooden board
Konya style

Konya-Style Flatbread with Meat

Thin, open flatbread topped with finely minced beef, tomato, green pepper, onion and parsley, adapted for a home oven.

Thin browned döner slices on pide with tomato, green pepper and an onion-herb side salad

Beef Döner

Thin layers of seasoned beef and mince, chilled into a roll, sliced and quickly browned in a skillet. This is a skillet adaptation of layered döner. A restaurant spit uses a different cooking process. Slice only when the roll is firm but safely cuttable; never force a knife through a solid frozen block.