Easy, Quick and Healthy Red Meat Choices

One major area of discussion that I have with patients when I am talking to them about diet is meat. When we chat about their weight, cholesterol or health risks folks will regularly say "I don't eat much beef." There's variations of this, including pork, red meat, steaks, burgers, etc. Sometimes folks will say that they are tired of eating only chicken and fish.

Sometimes it's a challenge to convince people of what they can do. So, let me convince you. Eating healthy is not about not eating a particular food, it is about choosing carefully and choosing the right portions. Let's start with red meat.
First and foremost, portion size is key. The standard portion is 4 oz. and making sure that you are measuring is important. Either ask the butcher to cut you portions that you need or use your own scale. Secondly, no matter what cut you are having trimming the fat makes a huge difference. The flavor in beef comes from the marbling in the meat itself and not the fat that surrounds the cut of meat. Choose cuts that have little excess fat and light marbling for maximum flavor and minimum calories.

Lean meat is your key to quality calories and lowering the fat. Untrimmed beef will have about 20 g of fat per serving. Getting rid of the excess reduces the fat by 10 g and about 90 calories.

Likewise, cutting out an 1/8 of an inch of fat will save you about 40 calories, 5 g of fat and 2 g of saturated fat. Of course, it's easier to simply select a leaner cut of beef and this is so easy.

In general, look for a cut with less than 10 g of fat and fewer than 4 g of saturated fat in a 4-oz. serving (remember 10-4-4). Many markets today have the nutrition information listed.

Leaner cuts of meat come from the loin (strip loin, sirloin, tenderloin, top loin). The leanest and most tender section is the tenderloin and there are a number of cuts to choose from. At the smaller end are the tournedos (or medallions) and the center is filet mignon. These steaks are most often pan fried or grilled. At the head is the Chateaubriand, which is usually roasted and is large enough for 3 or 4 servings.
Flank steak has less than 9 g of fat in a serving. It is less tender than some cuts, but if marinated and cooked quickly over high heat, it makes for a truly succulent steak. It also works well in stews because it tenderizes quickly during the stewing process. Cuts that are similar to flank steak are flap and skirt steak, and one of my all time favorites, the hanger steak. This is much more tender and generally reasonably priced.

The pork farmers have done a pretty good job with their campaign in convincing folks that it is "the other white meat," but it's not a lot different than beef when trimmed. Four oz. of pork tenderloin are pretty similar in calories and fat as beef tenderloin. And pork tenderloin is a great choice for you having only about 122 calories and 2.5 g of fat.

I love using center cut pork chops. The thick ones well trimmed come in right around 4 oz. It is more economical to purchase a whole pork loin roast, trim it your self and cut it into chops. A roast loin is a great choice for because there's leftovers for the family as well as for lunch. Trimming the outer layer of fat makes for a great lean roast that's full of flavor.

Veal is pretty expensive and not always widely available. Most groceries will carry scallops (scallopini) for making such dishes as veal piccata, marsala or saltimbocca. These are great for quick weeknight meals because the prep and cooking time is so short.

Lamb cuts seem like they are higher in fat but they have such a lovely flavor that makes them a great choice. Interestingly, chops that have been trimmed to about 1/8 inch fat are similar in calories and fat to a lean cut of beef or pork. The average chop has about 1.5 oz. of meat, so three are a perfect serving. They cook quickly and are so adaptable to almost any recipe.

One of my favorite restaurants serves a fantastic, lean lamb shoulder that's been seared on the grill. The shoulder is lean and can be used in almost any recipe where you might use a pork tenderloin, beef filet or flank steak. Because it's so lean but still full of flavor, it is perfect in almost any steak recipe, and also makes fantastic stew meat.

As you can see there's a wide variety of great choices to complement your healthy diet. Having red meat about once a week is a good rule of thumb whether it's a lean hamburger, steak or lamb chop. There's so much variety for quick, easy and healthy cooking you might have trouble deciding where to start.