6 min read
Walk into any butcher in Egypt and ask for minced beef, and you will usually get one thing: whatever is in the grinder that day. But the minced beef fat percentage changes everything about how a dish turns out. The same recipe can be juicy or dry, rich or light, depending only on how much fat is in the mince.
This guide explains the three fat levels we sell, zero fat, 10% and 20%, and tells you exactly which one to buy for burgers, kofta, hawawshi, macarona bechamel, mahshi, bolognese and diet meals.
What does minced beef fat percentage mean?
The percentage is the share of fat in the mince by weight. A kilo of 20% fat mince has about 800 g of lean beef and 200 g of fat, which is why it is also called 80/20 ground beef. A kilo of 10% fat mince has about 900 g of lean, and our zero fat mince is made from carefully trimmed lean muscle with the visible fat and sinew removed.
Fat is not the enemy here. It carries flavor, keeps meat soft over high heat and makes bread crisp in hawawshi. The trick is to match the fat level to the dish.
Which minced beef fat percentage for which dish
| Dish | Best fat level | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Burgers | 20% | Stays juicy on a very hot pan or grill |
| Hawawshi | 20% | The fat melts into the baladi bread and crisps it |
| Kofta on charcoal | 20% or 10% | 20% for juicy, 10% for lighter kofta |
| Meatballs and Dawood Pasha | 10% or 20% | Soft texture that holds in the sauce |
| Macarona bechamel | 10% | Rich enough for flavor, no grease layer under the bechamel |
| Mahshi and stuffed vegetables | 10% | Flavors the rice without making it oily |
| Sambousek and moussaka | 10% | Clean filling that does not leak oil |
| Bolognese and lasagna | 10% or zero fat | Lean sauce that still tastes beefy |
| Diet, meal prep, gym | Zero fat | Highest protein, lowest calories |
Short version: if the dish goes on high heat and you want it juicy, choose fat. If it goes into a sauce, rice or pastry, choose lean.
- Zero fat, 10% and 20% fat in one place
- Balady Kandouz beef from our own farm, no hormones
- Ground fresh from whole cuts, vacuum packed
Minced beef calories and protein per 100 g
These are approximate values for raw beef based on standard nutrition data, to help you compare. They are not a lab test of a specific batch.
| Mince | Calories | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zero fat (very lean) | about 120 to 140 kcal | about 21 to 22 g | under 5 g |
| 10% fat | about 175 kcal | about 20 g | about 10 g |
| 20% fat (80/20) | about 250 kcal | about 17 g | about 20 g |
If you count macros, 200 g of zero fat mince gives you over 40 g of protein for around 260 kcal, which makes it one of the easiest ways to hit a protein target with real food. Our article on healthy minced beef recipes in the list below has meal ideas.
The best mince for burgers is 80/20
Every good burger place uses about 20% fat. Lean mince makes a dry, crumbly patty that shrinks into a hard puck. With 80/20 ground beef, the fat melts as the burger sears, bastes the meat from inside and gives you that juicy bite.
- Divide 1 kg of 20% fat minced beef into 6 to 8 balls. Handle it as little as possible.
- Press each into a patty slightly wider than the bun, with a small dent in the center so it stays flat.
- Salt only the outside, right before cooking. Salt mixed inside makes the texture sausage like.
- Sear on a smoking hot pan or grill 3 to 4 minutes per side. Do not press it with the spatula.
No time to shape patties? Our ready beef burger patties are made from the same Balady beef.
How to cook lean mince so it stays juicy
Lean mince is perfect for health, but it has no fat to protect it, so it dries out on high heat. Use these tricks with zero fat minced beef or 10%:
- Cook on medium heat with one spoon of olive oil instead of a smoking pan.
- Add grated onion, grated zucchini or a few spoons of stock. They add moisture without fat.
- For kofta and meatballs, mix in one egg and two spoons of breadcrumbs or oats per 500 g.
- Stop cooking as soon as the pink is gone. Overcooked lean mince turns grainy.
How to spot good minced beef
- Color: bright to deep red, with no grey patches.
- No water: liquid at the bottom of the pack usually means the meat was frozen and thawed, or that it was not fresh.
- Shrinkage: mince ground fresh from whole cuts shrinks far less in the pan than mince made from scraps.
- Fat level you can trust: a stated percentage means you get the same result every time.
Our minced beef is ground fresh from whole cuts of Balady Kandouz calves naturally raised on our farm for about 400 days with zero hormones and zero chemicals, then vacuum packed with no bare hand contact. Choose 10% fat minced beef if you want one mince that does everything well.
- The everyday all rounder for mahshi and bechamel
- Ground fresh from whole Balady cuts
- Shrinks far less in the pan
Further reading: ground beef
Frequently asked questions
What fat percentage of minced beef is best?
It depends on the dish: 20% for burgers, hawawshi and grilled kofta, 10% for mahshi, macarona bechamel and sambousek, and zero fat for diets and meal prep.
Is 80/20 the same as 20% fat?
Yes. 80/20 means 80% lean beef and 20% fat by weight.
Which mince is best for burgers?
20% fat (80/20) mince. The fat keeps the burger juicy on high heat. Lean mince makes dry burgers.
How many calories are in 100 g of minced beef?
Roughly 120 to 140 kcal for very lean mince, about 175 kcal for 10% fat and about 250 kcal for 20% fat, raw. These are approximate standard values.
Should I drain the fat after browning mince?
With 20% fat mince you can spoon off some fat for sauces like bolognese. With 10% or zero fat mince there is nothing to drain.
Is lean minced beef good for weight loss?
Zero fat mince is high in protein and low in calories, which helps you stay full. Cook it with vegetables and little oil for light, filling meals.
Order from our farm
Minced Beef Zero Fat Balady Kandouz 1 KG Red Minced Beef 0% Fat Pure Lean Mince Original price was: EGP611.EGP550Current price is: EGP550.Minced Beef 10% Fat Balady Kandouz 1 KG Low Fat Lean Ground Beef Original price was: EGP589.EGP530Current price is: EGP530.
Minced Beef 20% Fat Balady Kandouz 1 KG Classic 80/20 Juicy Mince Original price was: EGP533.EGP480Current price is: EGP480.