Ground meat too fatty?

The Question

Hi all, can you help me figure out what to do when making a recipe with ground meat when I can't drain the fat away?

Specifically this recipe:

https://moribyan.com/arayes-meat-stuffed-pita/

Because you put the meat raw in between the pita and then cook it, I found the fat doesn't render out in a way that allows me to blot/drain it away. This means that it is excessively fatty and my stomach is not happy (flavor is amazing though!)

Additinal notes:

\- I substituted a ground beef/pork mix instead of just ground beef as the recipe calls for because in my country it's almost impossible to get pure ground beef in anything but tiny sizes (and those are expensive!)

\- Lean ground meats are not available where I live. I suppose technically I could grind my own meat in a blender, but I'm hoping to avoid having to do that if possible...

Thanks in advance!

Use 93/7 ground beef (93% lean, 7% fat) or switch to ground turkey or chicken for lower fat content. For fatty ground meat like 80/20 beef, pre-cook it completely, drain all rendered fat, season the cooked meat, then stuff into pita and bake for 6 minutes.

Best Method

Pre-cook fatty ground meat to remove excess fat: cook the ground beef until it reaches 160°F internal temperature, drain the rendered fat completely, add your seasonings to the cooked meat, then stuff the seasoned meat into pita and finish baking for 6 minutes. Use minced meat rather than formed patties for better results when pre-cooking. The traditional raw meat method works because the thin layer of meat cooks through completely in 6 minutes.

Alternative Approaches

Switch to leaner protein sources like ground turkey or chicken (typically 7-15% fat content)
Add TVP (textured vegetable protein) at 15-20% by volume to dilute the overall fat content
Use okara as a fat-diluting filler at similar ratios
Source 93/7 ground beef if available and budget allows
Consider local lean game meat like moose where available (particularly lean option)

Where Cooks Disagree

Fat absorption vs. fat removal: Some cooks suggest adding flour or crackers to absorb excess fat, while others advocate for complete fat removal through pre-cooking and draining. The absorption method keeps all the fat in the dish, which fails to address digestive issues caused by high fat content. The pre-cooking method physically removes fat from the final dish.

Common Mistakes

Adding flour or crackers to "absorb" the fat - this keeps the fat in the dish rather than removing it, which doesn't help when fat content needs to be reduced for digestive reasons. Pork is particularly problematic as ground pork contains significantly more fat than lean beef options.

Food Safety Notes

When pre-cooking ground meat, ensure it reaches 160°F internal temperature before draining. The thin layer of raw meat in traditional arayes recipes cooks through completely in 6 minutes due to the thinness of the layer and direct heat contact.