Lean meat. (includes related articles, and recipes)

Lean meat

We're hearing more about it today, but meat has actually been getting leaner for some time. Years ago, when Westerners first began to prefer lighter diets, ranchers began breeding for leaner meat, favoring more muscular, larger-framed animals that reach market weight earlier.

Compared to 30 years ago, beef cattle have 40 percent less fat, yielding meat that's 8 to 10 percent leaner. Hogs have 50 percent less fat, and pork is 6 to 8 percent leaner. Lambs have almost doubled in weight, producing more lean meat in relation to fat.

Old charts…