Demystifying Ounces: How Much Beef is 10 to 20 Ounces?

For many of us home cooks and grocery shoppers, thinking in terms of ounces can be confusing. You see a recipe that calls for 10 ounces of ground beef, or you’re at the butcher counter trying to figure out how many pounds to buy for dinner. But what does an ounce of beef actually look like? How can you easily visualize that amount?

In this article we’ll break it down in simple terms so you can confidently shop, portion and cook when a recipe calls for beef by the ounce. Read on for a clear explanation, helpful comparisons, and tips for working with 10 to 20 ounces of ground beef or beef cuts.

What is an Ounce?

Let’s start with the basics. An ounce is a unit of measurement used extensively in cooking and baking. There are 16 ounces in one pound. So when you buy a 1 pound package of ground beef at the grocery store, it contains 16 ounces total.

Ounces are a measure of weight, not volume. So 10 ounces of chopped beef is not the same as 10 ounces of beef broth – the chopped beef will be much more dense and heavy!

Visualizing 10 Ounces of Ground Beef

Okay, but what does 10 ounces of ground beef actually look like? Here are some easy comparisons:

• It’s roughly the size of a baseball or a large orange
• It fills about 1 and 1/3 cups volume when crumbled
• It’s approximately the size of your cupped hand
• It’s equivalent to about 4-5 thin beef burger patties

So next time you’re cooking tacos, meatloaf, pasta sauce, or any ground beef recipe, you can easily portion out 10 ounces by visualizing a baseball-sized amount per person.

Seeing What 20 Ounces of Ground Beef Looks Like

Now let’s imagine we are doubling that amount to 20 ounces. Again, some handy visual comparisons:

• It’s about the size of two baseballs or large oranges
• It fills approximately 2 and 2/3 cups when crumbled
• It’s roughly equal to the size of two cupped hands
• It’s the equivalent of 8-10 thin burger patties

So for feeding a crowd with burgers or meatballs, 20 ounces makes sense as a starting point for 4-5 people.

Comparing Beef Roast Weights

When looking at larger cuts of beef like roasts, here is how 10 and 20 ounces compare:

• A 10 ounce roast is just over half a pound. It would be on the small side for most recipes.
• A 20 ounce roast equals 1 and 1/4 pounds. This is a good medium size for roasting to serve 3-4 people.

Handy Ounce Equivalents for Steaks

For cuts of beef like steak, here are some handy ounce references:

• A 8 ounce steak is on the smaller end of average
• A 10 ounce steak is about the size of a smartphone
• A 12 ounce steak is a good average restaurant sized steak
• A 16 ounce steak is a large restaurant steak, called a “pounder”
• A 20 ounce steak is a very generous, shareable steak size

So when deciding how much steak to buy and cook per person, use these ounce guidelines to help visualize the different serving sizes.

Tips for Portioning Ground Beef

To make working with ground beef even easier, follow these simple tips:

• Use a food scale for accuracy. Weighing out portions eliminates guessing.

• Divide bulk ground beef into 10 or 20 ounce portions before freezing for easy grab and go.

• Roll ground beef into compact balls when portioning to remove air pockets.

• Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup for scooping and shaping. 3 scoops = 10 ounces.

• Flatten patties to 1/4 inch thickness to estimate 4 ounces each.

• Mark 10 and 20 ounce portions in quart freezer bags with a marker before freezing.

Hopefully this gives you a better visual and volume estimate for what different ounce amounts of ground beef and roasts look like. While it may take some practice, thinking in ounces gets easier over time. And using a food scale and measuring cups removes the guesswork.

The next time a recipe calls for 10 to 20 ounces of beef, you can approach it with confidence. Just remember your baseballs, oranges, cupped hands, and smartphone comparisons. And enjoy making perfectly portioned beef dishes!