NEVER buy ground beef. Buy a chuck roast and make your own. A good food processor will do the job if you don't have a grinder. Cut it in small pieces and oscillate the switch.

You are not supposed to freeze meat in the original styrofoam packaging, so how is anyone supposed to know the lot number or whatever of meat purchased months ago? Why did the recall on meat take so long. I can't believe no one ate it fresh in September.

I always buy meat within a couple days of when i plan to use it. I dont take chances either, I dont take burgers unless they're WELL DONE. Recalled beef is perfectly safe if thoroughly cooked and separate utensils are used before and after cooking.

concernsme- Meat recalls always take a long time because people often dont report food related illnesses. how many times have we all had a stomach upset and thought nothing of it. Now that a few people have landed in the hospital, the investigation has begun. Anytime you see a recall notice on tv or in the paper, it has been at least a month since the affected product has been sold and most people have already used the product fresh. the recalls are usually for people who freeze their meats. You have a point that people would not remember the lot number, but most of them would remember buying it at shaws or BJ's if those are their usual shopping places.

Watch the movie "Food, Inc"...you'll never buy mass-produced meat or chicken again...

"Maine officials are reminding consumers to check their freezers for recalled ground beef ".There is no lot # or date listed in this article for people to check.

From USDA website :

"Each package bears the establishment number "EST. 492" inside the USDA mark of inspection or on the nutrition label. These products were packaged on September 15 and 16, 2009, and may have been labeled at the retail stores with a sell-by date from September 19 through 28, 2009....... "

Just cook the stinkin' meat. Cook it thoroughly. Is that too hard to understand? Forget you ever heard of "Steak tartare." Cook the meat.