What is Ground Beef Chuck? A Complete Guide to Ground Beef Blends
May 16, 2025 | Cooking with Beef
From kitchens around the globe to your local meat case, ground beef is celebrated for its versatility and bold, satisfying flavor. It’s budget-friendly compared to other proteins, simple to prepare, and infuses rich flavor into any dish. As if that wasn’t enough to love about ground beef, there are 10 essential vitamins and nutrients in every bite.
As you’re shopping for ground beef, however, you might ask yourself a few questions. What is ground chuck? Is it different from ground beef? And how is chuck steak different from ground chuck? Do calorie counts differ between ground chuck and other types of ground beef?
In this article, we answer all those questions and more—plus, you’ll get some fan-favorite, crowd-pleasing ground beef recipes.
Ground Beef 101: Chuck, Round, and Sirloin
Ground beef can refer to two things. First, ground beef is used as the overarching term for several specific varieties that come from various primal cuts of the animal. These are called source grinds and include:
- Ground chuck
- Ground round
- Ground sirloin
The word “ground” is used because the meat is physically broken down into smaller pieces with a grinder or knife.
Second, ground beef can also appear on product labels without any supporting info, such as when you see “ground beef” with no “sirloin” or “chuck” listed alongside it. That means the grind is made of trimmings from a variety of cuts versus trimmings originating from a specific primal cut like the sirloin or chuck. These trimmings are carefully blended in precise ratios to achieve specific lean-to-fat percentages, such as 80/20 or 90/10. There’s a science to this process—processors use tools to measure the fat and lean content of the trimmings, often incorporating both visual assessment and advanced technology. By adjusting the mix of lean and fatty trimmings, they can consistently produce ground beef that meets the ideal nutritional and regulatory standards.
Getting to Know Source Grinds: Ground Beef Chuck, Round, and Sirloin
The most common source grinds, named ground chuck, ground round, and ground sirloin, all have specific taste, texture, and leanness attributes based on where they come from on the animal.
What is Ground Beef Chuck?
Ground beef chuck—or just ground chuck—is made from the chuck primal, the shoulder area of the animal. It is prized by many for its rich, beefy flavor and juiciness from moderate fat content.
Nutritional Content of Ground Chuck
Most ground chuck is frequently listed as 80/20, meaning 80% lean meat and 20% fat. That means high flavor and moisture.
- Calories in ground beef chuck: 287 calories
- Protein in ground beef chuck: 4 grams
Nutrition facts are based on a 4-ounce serving of raw beef.
Best Dishes for Ground Chuck
This grind’s higher fat content makes it juicy and flavorful, an ideal choice for dishes that need to maintain moisture at high heat or through reheating, such as grilled burgers and pan-fried meatballs. In fact, many chefs and grilling aficionados swear by ground chuck for burgers. The dish you envision when we say “a perfect, juicy burger” is likely made with ground chuck.
What is Beef Chuck Steak?
A larger cut from the chuck primal is the chuck steak, which is also known as the center cut chuck steak or chuck center steak. It has rich flavor in an affordable cut, much like the ground chuck that comes from the same primal. Beef chuck steaks are often served with simple vegetables like potatoes and carrots, but you can also sauté steak strips with mushrooms and peppers for a delicious sandwich filling. The chuck eye steak (aka Delmonico), for comparison, is more tender than the chuck eye steak as it’s located closer to the ribeye on the animal. Similar names, different cuts.
What is Ground Beef Round?
The round primal is home to lean, less expensive cuts from the rump and hind legs. Cuts from the round primal include the eye of round roast and top round roast, and when turned into ground round, the primal creates a beefy grind that balances flavor and leanness.
Nutritional Content of Ground Round
Slightly leaner than ground chuck, ground round is typically sold as 85/15, or 85% lean meat and 15% fat. In other words, it’s a perfect middle ground between juiciness and leanness—pun intended.
- Calories in ground beef round: 243 calories
- Protein in ground beef round: 21 grams
Nutrition facts are based on a 4-ounce serving of raw beef.
Best Dishes for Ground Round
Lean, beefy ground round is great for ground beef dishes with more robust seasonings and sauces. Try it in taco meat, stuffed peppers, and your favorite pasta dishes.
What is Ground Beef Sirloin?
Located in the mid-back of the animal, the sirloin primal is used to make the leanest type of ground beef, called ground sirloin.
Nutritional Content of Ground Sirloin
Ground sirloin is labeled as 90/10 (90% lean meat and 10% fat) or as even leaner ratios.
- Calories in ground beef sirloin: 199 calories
- Protein in ground beef sirloin: 22.6 grams
Nutrition facts are based on a 4-ounce serving of raw beef.
Best Dishes for Ground Sirloin
Those looking to reduce fat in their diets prize ground sirloin for salads and other nutrient-dense dishes that benefit from a boost of protein and other vital vitamins and minerals. You’ll love ground sirloin in soups and stews, too.
Everything You Need to Know About Ground Beef and Nutrition
Ground beef packs high levels of vitamins and nutrients into every bite. Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. evaluated the nutritional value of a 3-ounce serving of beef, finding that beef efficiently provides high levels of the nutrients your body needs every day.
Here’s what each 3-ounce serving of beef offers in terms of daily value, or DV. DV refers to the amount of a nutrient that is needed for a healthy adult on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Our Favorite Crowd-Pleasing Ground Beef Recipes
Treat gameday guests to a build-your-own burger bar with inventive, mouthwatering ingredients. The options are endless, but when building your burger bar, we invite you to start with these restaurant-worthy ideas.
Hot Honey Burger with Coleslaw
Sweet heat, tender beef, and cool, crispy coleslaw make this burger a must for entertaining. Ground beef chuck works well here, with the extra buttery flavor balancing the crunchy coleslaw and fiery hot honey.
Bacon, Smoked Cheddar, and Caramelized Onion Burger
Elevate the classic cookout burger with crispy bacon, smoked cheddar, caramelized onions, and, of course, juicy ground beef.
Kimchi Cheeseburger with Chili Mayo
Chili mayo and spicy, crunchy kimchi complement rich, hearty ground beef in this Korean-inspired burger recipe.
Filling, comforting ground beef chili is taken to the next level with rich cocoa powder and creamy mayo in this recipe. We suggest using ground sirloin here to make sure the chili is filling but not overly indulgent.
Ground Beef: Big Flavor and Nutrition in Every Grind
No matter which type of ground beef you pick, from juicy ground beef chuck to lean ground sirloin, beef will transform any dish into a truly tasty, full-of-flavor, nutrient-packed dish. Aspen Ridge Natural Angus Beef offers wholesome ground beef with no antibiotics or added hormones ever to elevate your everyday menu.
Find Aspen Ridge at a store near you.
This article was originally published in November 2023 but was updated in May 2025.
