I did wonder if some jurisdictions require, or some local practices use, a
specified amount of ice to keep the temperature of the meat down for safety
reasons - just a thought.
If it is a health regulation somewhere, think its a really poor excuse
for not having the meat cold enough and in small enough batches and in a
cold room while grinding.

"Allan Matthews" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 11:07:18 -0600, zxcvbob >
> wrote:
>
> >Dimitri wrote:
> >> "Ellie C" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >>
> >>>Sheldon wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> <snip>
> >>
> >>>I don't think I was overloading the pan, and it was a copper pan on the
> >>>highest flame on a gas stove, so the pan was quite hot. Possible,
though.
> >>>Next time I buy some ground beef I'll try cooking just a bit of it
first
> >>>and then adding more.
> >>
> >>
> >> Sheldon is right on the money!
> >>
> >> You have the sequence wrong - Heat the pan then add the oil. To test
the pan
> >> see if a bead of water dances.
> >>
> >> All ground beef will steam in its own juices (natural) if there is not
> >> enough heat. That fact is undeniable. Therefore if your ground beef
would
> >> not fry but rather steamed there was more cold meat than the stored up
heat
> >> in the pan could handle.
> >>
> >>
> >> Dimitri
> >
> >
> >
> >I think y'all are overlooking the comment that Ellie made that she is in
> >*France*. In the USA, ground beef is about the only meat you can get at
> >the supermarkets that is not pumped full of water -- only because it is
> >illegal to add water to ground beef (as Sheldon mentioned). But the
> >USDA regulations don't apply to whatever is sold at the local butcher
> >shop in Europe.
> >
> >It sounds like the butcher is adding a bunch of crushed ice when he
> >grinds the meat. Ellie needs to find a different butcher.
> >
> >The meat is probably still usable if she fries it in tiny batches over
> >high heat so the water can boil off as quickly as it cooks out.
> >
> >Best regards,
> >Bob
>
> Several people here have posted that they have doubts about ice being
> added to beef as it is being ground. I would not have posted my
> original post if I had not observed this practice myself...more than
> once. The water does not drain from the ground meat but stays there
> until it is cooked, at which time the meat simply gets boiled. Also,
> at least ham, and maybe other meats can contain up to 10% water
> withour being labeled "Water added"