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What is your favorite cut of beef? Are you a steak person, or do you prefer ground beef in a dish such as spaghetti or burgers?

According to a recent survey by the Beef Checkoff, we’re eating just as much beef now as we did in 2005, the last time a survey was completed.

Our preferred product? Ground beef. The survey suggests that we often choose ground beef instead of deli-style beef products and steaks.

What other pertinent information can be gleaned from this survey?

Beef Consumption Facts

The Beef Checkoff survey found a number of other interesting facts about our love of beef:

• We’re eating out less than we were in 2005. This is quite possibly a result of economic conditions in many areas.
• More of us are foodies now. 2012 plays host to more cooking shows, new recipe resources, and folks that love to cook.
• Ground beef is being chosen over steak. The preferred mix is 80% lean/20% fat.
• The majority of us (64%) purchase large quantities of beef and freeze much of it for a later date.
• The most preferred method to enjoy beef? The grill. We enjoy a good grilled steak or burger. Also popular were beef with vegetables (such as a fajita preparation) and roasts.
• We like sauces and spices with our beef more than we did in 2005.
• Ethnic foods are becoming more popular, but American/local and Italian food still tops the list.

Beef in Arizona

We’re very fortunate to have a large number of beef producers in AZ. By purchasing from these individuals, we can support AZ ranching while also enjoying our favorite beef products.

Since steak is still a popular summer dish, we asked Kacie Tomerlin of Arizona Legacy Beef for a few beef cooking tips. She said if you do cook a good quality steak “allow it to rest for a few minutes before you put it on the grill. If the steak is too chilled, the muscle fibers are tight. But if you allow the steak to rest for 10 to 15 minutes, or to the touch,” it will be more tender after grilling.

Want a few more steak grilling tips? Be sure to check out Kacie’s recent video on grilling quality steaks.