Beef Trivia

1. Q: Top quality leather basketballs are made from cowhides. How many basketballs can be made from 1 cowhide?

 A: Eleven, according to the Wilson Sporting Goods Company

2. Q. How many cowhides does it take to supply the National Football League with enough leather to produce footballs for one season?

A. About three thousand.

3. Q: What is the average daily consumption of meat per person in the United States? a) 10 ounces per person per day b) 6 ounces per person per day c) 3.4 ounces per person per day?

A: According to the latest from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the correct answer is (c) 3.4 ounces per day. Of that, 1.8 ounces per day is the average beef consumption.

4. Q: What mark on the surface of the beef carcass indicates that the beef is wholesome and safe to eat?

A: The inspection stamp or inspection mark is a purplish mark found on the surface of the beef carcass, which indicates that the beef animal was healthy and processed under sanitary conditions?

5. Q: What mark on the surface of the beef carcass indicates the eating quality of the beef?

A: Look for the grade shield or grade mark to tell you how tender, juicy and flavorful the beef should be. (Examples are USDA Prime, USDA Choice and USDA Select). The grade shield or mark is found on carcass beef and normally isn't visible on retail cuts.

6. Q: What body-building nutrients does beef supply?

A: Beef is an excellent source of iron, vitamin B12, zinc and protein.

7. Q: Which mineral supplied by beef is most likely to be missing from American diets?

A: Beef is one of the best food sources of iron, a mineral lacking especially in the diets of many women and children.

8. Q: Small flecks of fat found in lean red beef are an indication that the beef should be tender, juicy and flavorful. What are these flecks called?

A: The small flecks of fat are called marbling. The higher the grade of beef, the more marbling you will find.

9. Q: A popular steak sold in restaurants is listed as a "filet mignon". What is the standard retail name for this steak?

A. “Filet Mignon” is just a fancy name for a beef tenderloin steak.

10. Q: Leather and feed additives are not the only by-products of cattle and beef production. Name a few of the medical by-products?

A: Epinephrine is derived from the adrenal glands and used to treat asthma and allergies; thrombin, obtained from cattle blood is used in helping clot blood; liver extract is used in treating anemia; and insulin can be taken from the pancreas of cattle for treatment of diabetes.

11. Q: When an average steer is ready for market it weighs around 1,000 pounds. How much of that 1,000 pounds ends up as the meat you buy at the grocery store?

A: Not all of the steer is steak! A 1,000 pound steer will provide about 430 pounds of edible meat. The rest of the weight is sold as by-products such as leather and pharmaceuticals, and food products among many.

12. Q: When preparing a beef roast, what is the best kitchen tool to use to determine the degree of doneness of the roast?

A: A meat thermometer tells the internal temperature of the beef roast, which indicates how well done it is.

13. Q: Which government agency is responsible for overseeing the beef inspection process in the packing plant?

A: Beef inspection is a mandatory program performed by highly trained specialists employed by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

14. Q: What is the feed grain that makes Minnesota beef so tender, juicy and flavorful?

A: Corn, of course. Grain shortens the time it takes to finish cattle for market. These cattle spend a short time eating grain; three-fourths of their lives are spent eating roughage, which are grasses, hay and cornstalks which humans cannot eat.

15. Q: What is the Minnesota organization called which is funded by Minnesota's beef and dairy producers through a check-off on each head of cattle sold? This organization was created for beef education, promotion and research.

A: The Minnesota Beef Council, located in Minneapolis (Bloomington), Minnesota.

16. Q: By law, ground beef can contain no more than a certain percentage of fat. What percentage is this?

A: Ground beef can contain no more than 30% fat. New nutrition labeling requires that it be labeled 30% fat ground beef at the grocery store.

17. Q: What is the most popular cut of beef consumed in the U.S. today?

A: Ground beef! Between 40 and 45% of all beef sold today is in a ground form. This includes fast food hamburgers, ground beef purchased in the grocery store and processed meats such as sausages, hot dogs and lunch meat.

18. Q: The first beef cattle in the U.S. were what breed?

A: The first "beef on the hoof" were Longhorns, brought into the southwest by the Spaniards in the early 1500's.

19. Q: Who brought the first cattle to the Western Hemisphere?

A: Christopher Columbus brought cattle on his second voyage in 1494. 

20. Q: What mineral found in beef promotes growth and development, keenness of taste, good appetite and healthy skin?

A: Zinc.

21. Q: Tripe is a variety meat, which comes from the beef animal. Where does tripe come from or what is it?

A: Tripe, a delicacy in some countries, is actually the stomach lining from the beef animal.

22. Q: What is the relationship between a marshmallow and a beef animal? 

A: A marshmallow is a beef by-product! Marshmallows are made from gelatin, which comes from the processing of bones and hooves of the beef animal. We get a lot more from cattle than just beef to eat.

23. Q: Veal, which usually comes from male dairy calves, is a common meat in specialty restaurants. What is the age limit in months for a calf to be considered veal?

A: Milk-fed veal comes from male dairy calves that are approximately 18-20 weeks (4-5 months) of age and weigh 500 to 550 pounds.

24. Q: Where does the state of Minnesota rank nationally among all the other states in beef production?

A: Minnesota usually ranks ninth or tenth in cows and calves on farms among the states. We rank thirteenth in total cattle numbers, including beef cows, dairy cows and cattle on feed.

25. Q: Which county in Minnesota produces the most beef?

A: Stearns County had 190,000 head of cattle and calves in 2004. Ottertail County is second with 98,000 head of cattle. Fillmore County ranks first in beef cow numbers with 18,600 head followed by Ottertail County with 17,000 head. NOTE: In 2004 Minnesota had a total of 2,400,000 head of cattle and calves of which 395,000 were beef cows and 465,000 were milk cows. Minnesota's beef cow numbers have held steady.

26. Q: Why can beef animals turn roughage like grass, hay and cornstalks into high-quality protein, when humans cannot?

A: The beef animal is a ruminant, which means it has a stomach composed of four compartments that allow it to digest the roughage and use it to make high quality protein.

27. Q: Which part of the beef animal provides the leanest cuts as well as the greatest quality of tender steaks?

A: The hindquarter provides more tender steaks and other cuts, with less fat and bone. The hindquarter includes the sirloin and round that contain the leanest cuts of beef. The front quarter has a greater amount of fat and bone, and usually less tender cuts.

28. Q: What is the cut of beef that is pickled and/or cured in a process similar to that of making ham? 

A: Corned beef. The preservation of beef with salt is known as "corning". The brisket and round are cuts that are seasoned and cured, or "corned". This process takes about two weeks.

29. Q: Which vitamin is found only in animal foods, including beef?

A: Vitamin B12 is the vitamin found only in foods of animal origin. This vitamin is needed to prevent pernicious anemia; red meats and liver are good sources for Vitamin B12.

30. Q: Which is the most tender cut of beef?

A: The beef tenderloin is the most tender cut of beef.

31. Q: Humans need eight essential amino acids each day. How many of these are provided by a serving of beef?

A: Beef, and other animal protein foods, provide all of the eight essential amino acids that our bodies require from food. Beef contains high biological value, complete protein.

32. Q: Name the top four quality grades of beef.

A: The top four grades of beef in descending order are Prime, Choice, Select, and Standard. Most of the beef sold at Minnesota meat counters is Choice beef.

33. Q: Name the two main factors that determine the quality grade of beef.

A: The amount of marbling and the age of the beef animal determine the quality grade. Younger animals with more marbling generally produce a higher grade.

34. Q: One of the oldest methods of food preservation is drying; even the American Indian used this method to preserve their beef. What popular beef snack food is made by this method?

A: Beef jerky is sliced thinly and dried. Native Americans called it “pemmican.” You can make your own using flank steak.

35. Q: How did the nickname for the U.S. - Uncle Sam - originate? (Hint this is really related to the beef industry.)

A: During the War of 1812, a meat packer from New York, named Sam Wilson, was jokingly called "Uncle Sam" by his employees. This was in reference to the "U.S." or the United States that was stamped on the containers of meat that he delivered to the armed services.

36. Q: How many calories in 3-ounces of cooked, trimmed of all visible fat, sirloin steak?

a) 170

b) 273

A: The correct answer is 170 calories.

37. Q: Which has more cholesterol, beef or chicken?

a) Chicken

b) Beef

c) Same

A: The correct answer is (c) beef and chicken are approximately equal in cholesterol.

38. Q: To what temperature should ground beef be cooked?

A: Ground beef should be cooked to 160° F to guarantee wholesomeness. At 160° F the center of the burger is no longer pink and the juices run clear. To be absolutely sure, use a thermometer or buy irradiated ground beef.

39. Q: How did the sirloin steak get its name?

A: Legend has it that England's King Henry VIII was so impressed with this type of meat, he dubbed it Sir Loin. The more likely source of the name is from the French word surlonge (sir-lawn), which means over the loin.

40. Q: Who made the phrase "Where's the Beef?" popular?

A: Clara Peller in a commercial for Wendy's Restaurants.

41. Q: How much raw meat should one allow for a 3-ounce, trimmed serving of beef? 

A: 4-ounces of raw, trimmed, boneless meat.

42. Q: If all the hot dogs produced in this country in one year were laid end to end along the equator, how many times would they circle the earth?

A: 16 times.

43. Q: Which segment of American agriculture is the largest?

A: The cattle industry.

44. Q: How many different breeds of beef cattle can be found in the U.S.?

a) 25 b) 50 c) over 70

A: There are over 70 different beef breeds in the United States today, so the correct answer is (c).

45. Q: Name three ways of cooking meat that help reduce fat.

A: Broiling, grilling or roasting on a rack to keep the meat above the drippings.

46. Q: How much does a quarter-pound hamburger patty weigh after it's cooked?

A: Approximately 3 ounces. (Four ounces raw weight loses an ounce in cooking.)

 47. Q: Which weighs more after cooking, 30% fat ground beef or 15% fat ground beef?

A: They weigh the same. (30% ground beef loses more fat, 15% loses more moisture.)

48. Q: When cooking beef in a microwave oven, what important technique can enhance tenderness and provide more uniform cooking?

A: Lower the power setting.

49. Q: What important natural drug used by diabetics can be made from beef animals?

A: Insulin.

50. Q: How did New York's Wall Street get its name?

A: Early settlers built a wall near that site to keep Indians from rustling their cattle.

51. Q: Beef is one of the richest sources of the kind of iron most easily absorbed by the body. What other important property does beef's iron have?

A: It helps the body absorb the iron in vegetables, fruits, and other foods at a meal.

52. Q: If properly wrapped, quickly frozen and kept at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, how long can fresh beef (other than ground beef) be stored?

A: Up to one year.

53. Q: What's the best method for defrosting frozen beef cuts? 

A: In the refrigerator, in their original wrappers. Do not thaw on the counter.

54. Q: In comparing beef with chicken....

a) beef has more than three times the amount of zinc that chicken does.

b) beef has twice the amount of zinc that chicken does.

c) beef has the same amount of zinc that chicken does.

A: The correct answer is (a), beef has more than three times as much zinc as chicken.

55. Q: A roast is medium-rare when it is cooked to what temperature?

A: 150° F.

56. Q: What is the difference between a steak and a roast?

A: Thickness. Roasts are two inches or more in thickness; steaks are less than two inches thick.

57. Q: What are the top ten cattle producing states?

A: Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, California, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri and Montana.

58. Q: From what cut of beef is pastrami made?

A: Short Plate

59. Q: What is the current nationally advertised slogan for beef?

A: "Beef. It's What's for Dinner."

60. Q: Name three beef cuts that are under 200 calories per 3-ounce serving.

A: Top round, eye of round, tri-tip roast, very lean cube steaks, top loin steaks, tenderloin and sirloin.

61. Q: List five types of information on a meat label in your supermarket.

A: The kind of meat, the wholesale or primal cut, the retail cut, weight, price per pound, safe handling information and total price.

62. Q: Thanks to our good climate, soil and water resources and technical know-how, American farmers are the best producers the world has ever known. At the time of the American Revolution, one farmer could feed three people. By 1900, that number had moved up to seven. In 1960, each farmer fed 47 people. How many people do you think the American farmer can feed today. 

A: It is amazing -- 135 people, that includes 100 in the United States and 35 abroad.

63. Q: Japan buys a lot of beef from the U.S. What was the value of U.S. beef exported to Japan in 2002?

A: In 2002, 511 metric tons of beef and beef products were exported to Japan. This beef was valued at $1.726 billion-up 10 percent from last year. This represented about 53 percent of our total beef exports.

 64. Q: Which country has the fastest growing per capita consumption of beef in the world?

a) Japan

b) Russia

c) Korea

A: The correct answer is (c) Korea.

65. Q: Where does the name "steak" come from?

A: When the Saxons and the Jutes, who lived in what's now known as Denmark, conquered Great Britain, they brought with them skills as cattlemen. The Saxon word steik means meat on a stick. The Saxons liked to cook their beef on a pointed stick over a campfire.

 66. Q. What exactly is Steak Diane and where did it originate?

A: Created at the Copacabana Palace Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, individual beef steaks are pounded flat, quickly cooked in butter and flamed with cognac. The cognac sauce is typically finished with sherry, butter and chives.

67. Q. What is Chateaubriand?

A: A recipe for a thick cut beef tenderloin steak large enough to serve two people, Chateaubriand was created during Napoleon's time by chef Montmireil for the French author and statesman, Francois Chateaubriand. The traditional recipe calls for broiling the center portion of the tenderloin. It typically is served with a bernaise sauce.

68. Q. What famous author coined the term filet mignon?

A. O. Henry used the term in his book, The Four Million in 1906. A French derivative, the literal meaning is small (mignon) boneless meat (filet). Cut from the small end of the beef tenderloin, a filet mignon is sometimes wrapped in bacon.

69. Q. How was the Porterhouse steak named?

A. In the early 1800's, travelers stopped to dine on steak and ale at coach stops or porter houses. It gained popularity in the U.S. around1841 when Martin Morrison, a New York City porter house keeper, began to serve it. This steak is cut from the short loin and contains the top loin and tenderloin muscles.

70. Q. What technology has been used by NASA since the early 1970's to protect our astronauts from food borne illness?

A. Irradiation, also known as cold pasteurization.

71. Q. Is it necessary to cook steaks and roasts to 160 degrees for safe eating?

A. No. Only ground beef must be cooked to 160 degrees. Whole cuts of beef such as steaks and roasts, are not a food safety concern as long as the outer surface reaches 160 degrees.

72. Q. How many cuts of beef compare favorably to chicken in terms of fat content?

A. The cuts from the beef round, sirloin and tenderloin are lean and compare very favorably with chicken for calories and fat content.

73. Q. What is the process called that uses electron beams, x-rays or gamma rays to kill harmful bacteria.

A. Irradiation.

74. Q. True or False. Irradiation destroys harmful bacteria and does not significantly affect the flavor or nutritional value of food.

A. True. The flavor is unchanged and the nutritional value is not affected any more than cooking, canning or freezing.

75. Q. How can we have a beef dinner on the table and ready to eat in less than ten minutes without leaving home?

A. Pre-cooked micro-waveable beef entrees.

76. Q. How did the Hamburger get its name?

a) from the Baltic provinces of Russia in the Middle Ages where rowdy, nomadic tribes of Tartary developed a fondness for raw beef, known today as steak Tartar.

b) from the German trading partners of the Tartars who lived in Hamburg; they developed a taste for raw beef fried with onions, called Hamburg Steak. 

c) from German immigrants who brought "Hamburg Steak" to the US in the 1700s and 1800s.

A. All of the above.

77. Q. Which World’s Fair did the "hamburger" create a new sensation?

A. Both the hamburger and ice cream cone "debuted" at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Both are still popular today because they meet consumer’s need for tasty, portable food.

78. Q. What was the world’s first hamburger chain founded in 1921, in Wichita, Kansas?

A. The first hamburger "chain" was White Castle.

79. What is the nickname for the square, baby burgers sold at White Castle?

A. sliders

80. Q. By the 1930’s hamburgers had another nickname, coming from an insatiable hamburger addict from the Popeye comic strip. What were they called?

A. Wimpy burgers

81. Q. What sandwich is America’s favorite, with 86% of the population ordering them in the last year?

A. Hamburger or cheeseburger.

82. Q. In 1888, An English doctor prescribed three hamburger meals a day as a cure for various ailments. His name is remembered today as the name of a seasoned ground beef patty served with a gravy. The doctor’s name is:

A. Salisbury (as in Salisbury steak)

83. Q. When and where did the first McDonald’s Restaurant open?

A. The first true McDonalds opened in 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois, by founder Ray Kroc who had discovered a small quick-serve hamburger restaurant in California owned by Dick and Mac McDonald. The Des Plaines McDonalds is now a museum.

84. Q. What nutrient does beef provide that helps build strong blood?

A. iron

85. Q. How many quarter-pound hamburgers come from the ground beef in one 1,000 pound steer (from just the normal beef ground into ground beef)?

A. Almost 1,000 quarter-pound burgers

86. Q. Which of the following is a by-product of that comes from cattle?

a) anti-freeze

b) soap

c) photo film

d) all of the above

e) none of the above

A. D; all of the above