1. Fat in Meat Matters
Half the fat in meat is saturated fat and has LDL's, or bad cholesterol, that builds up on arterial walls and causes hardening of the arteries. This condition can cause stroke, heart attacks and other heart disease. You can never trim meat of all fat but trimming, cooking and draining can help.
2. Closely Trim Your Meat
Trim any fat you can see from the meat. In addition, choose cuts that have less visible fat or marbling because it is impossible to trim this type of fat. When you buy beef, choose "select" cuts; they are about seven percent fat. "Choice" contains 15 to 35 percent fat and "prime" has the highest fat content at 35 to 45 percent. Remove chicken or poultry skin, a thin layer of fat lies within and just beneath the skin.
3. Cooking Methods Trim the Fat
Ground beef contains the most fat. If you want to reduce the fat content, buy a lean cut of beef and ground your own in a food processor. If you buy ground beef, remove half the fat by following these instructions. Crumble the beef and cook in a frying pan until no pink is visible. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Pour the meat into a colander placed over a bowl, rinse with four cups of hot water and drain.
4. Blot and Broil Fat Away
Blot cooked meatballs, beef patties, pork chops or any meat with paper towels to remove visible melted fat for low-fat meat recipes. Broil lean red meat instead of frying it in a pan. Broiling allows fat to drip off the meat. Set the meat on a rack so that the fat does not soak back into the meat.
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