KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Americans choose hamburger meat over steaks, University of Tennessee beef specialist Jim Neel said Friday.
More than 40 percent of all beef consumed in the United States is hamburger, Neel said.
“Hamburger (ground beef) is easy to prepare, convenient, quick and less expensive. It can be used in so many ways — chili, soup, sandwiches, pizza, spaghetti,” Neel said.
“Demand fluctuates for high-value meats such as steaks, but consumer demand for ground beef remains rather constant,” Neel said.
Americans bought an average 26.6 pounds of hamburger per person in 1993, the American Meat Institute reports.
“That’s down slightly from 1991 when we ate 28.3 pounds per person, but it is still substantially higher than 1970 when we each ate about 22 pounds,” Neel said.
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Contact: Jim Neel (423-974-7295)