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Message
Grinding Your Own Burgers
Posted on 6/17/24 at 10:09 am
Posted on 6/17/24 at 10:09 am
Got a meat grinding attachment for the stand mixer for fathers' day. So, it looks like I have home ground burgers in my future.
Anybody have any thoughts about what cuts of beef to use? Chuck? Some sort of mix?
Also, will there be enough fat in the standard store bought roast or should I plan on adding some?
Thanks in advance for the advice.
Anybody have any thoughts about what cuts of beef to use? Chuck? Some sort of mix?
Also, will there be enough fat in the standard store bought roast or should I plan on adding some?
Thanks in advance for the advice.
9
Posted on 6/17/24 at 10:24 am to Roscoe14
I have one and I struggle with the concept because I can buy already ground chuck for about half of what I can buy chuck roast.
The best deal is probably finding a brisket on sale and grinding that. Have not done it yet, but considering it.
The best deal is probably finding a brisket on sale and grinding that. Have not done it yet, but considering it.
Posted on 6/17/24 at 10:27 am to Roscoe14
I actually bought a stand alone grinder last week. I have only ground pork and chicken so far though. I am posting here to remind myself to come back and read the tips others give.
This post was edited on 6/17/24 at 11:00 am
Posted on 6/17/24 at 10:31 am to BhamTigah
The benefit of buying a roast and grinding it yourself there is less likely to be contaminated with other meats or bacteria. So you can cook a rare burger at home with confidence it does not need to cooked well done. Yes buying bulk meat and grinding it yourself saves in the long run.
Posted on 6/17/24 at 10:40 am to commode
quote:
The benefit of buying a roast and grinding it yourself there is less likely to be contaminated with other meats or bacteria. So you can cook a rare burger at home with confidence it does not need to cooked well done.
I've always heard this argument and I get it. That said, I've been cooking burgers using preground meat to medium rare for 40+ years and no one has gotten sick yet. Besides, when you grind your own meat, if you are not doing something to kill the bacteria on the outside of the roast before grinding it, you have the same issues.
Posted on 6/17/24 at 10:48 am to BhamTigah
quote:
The best deal is probably finding a brisket on sale and grinding that. Have not done it yet, but considering it.
That's what I do, when I find briskets on sale I'll cut/grind one or two, vacuum pack in 1lb packs and freeze it. Made some tallow with the trimming and ended up with about 13lb of ground brisket for ~$4.50/lb. I mostly use it to make smoked brisket burgers.
Posted on 6/17/24 at 10:49 am to Roscoe14
quote:
Anybody have any thoughts about what cuts of beef to use? Chuck? Some sort of mix?
Brisket, short rib, sirloin tip, chuck...I've used all of those. When one goes on sale I vacuum pack it and start looking for the next cut to go on sale. Most times I'll just grind two cuts because I get tired of waiting for another one to go on sale. Sirloin tip is better with brisket just because the fat from the brisket is generally enough to cover you on an 80/20 blend.
quote:
Also, will there be enough fat in the standard store bought roast or should I plan on adding some?
A chuck will have a fair amount to get you close enough. But when I smoke briskets I vacuum pack alot of the fat I trimmed off and save it for adding to my burger grind.
Posted on 6/17/24 at 11:30 am to BhamTigah
quote:
I have one and I struggle with the concept because I can buy already ground chuck for about half of what I can buy chuck roast.
This is me. Every so often I get the itch to get a nice grinding setup, but frick man I can get some premium beef already ground for a lot less headache.
Posted on 6/17/24 at 12:04 pm to slinger1317
I have tried grinding beef with both a food processor and a stand mixer attachment and have concluded that I like the store bought stuff better.
I may try again, because I'd really like to crack that code, but if I want a good hamburger I just buy good ground beef from the grocery store. I don't like ground beef rare so there is no problem for me.
I may try again, because I'd really like to crack that code, but if I want a good hamburger I just buy good ground beef from the grocery store. I don't like ground beef rare so there is no problem for me.
Posted on 6/17/24 at 12:36 pm to Roscoe14
I figure you'd want an 80/20 blend (80 per cent lean, 20 per cent fat). So, you need to make sure you have enough fat from the cut of beef you buy or your burger will be less juicy than you'd like.
FOOD SAFETY
As far as food safety is concerned, here goes: bacteria MAY be on the outside of your meat. If you grind the meat, the bacteria on the outside gets mixed up and now may be on the inside of your burger patty (vs cooking a steak where you are cooking the outside).
Now, for the first concern: The bacteria has to be on there to begin with, which isn't always the case, but it is possible. Other factors such as time and temperature may cause bacteria (if it is there) to grow into a larger number. This means a store or restaurant may abuse the meat and may cause more bacteria to grow (if its is there). So knowing you are grinding a piece of meat that you have kept cold and fresh can help reduce the number of bacteria you grind up (if it is there).
The second and most likely concern: As mentioned, the bacteria has to be on the meat to begin with....unless... unless you introduce the bacteria to the meat via the grinder. Not properly cleaning your grinder can cause bacteria to build up and grow inside the grinder and now you've introduced bacteria into your ground meat. You never know how much meat a processor or store is grinding at one time and how good of a job they did cleaning the grinder.
All this being said, you can argue it's safer to grind your own meat, but you must take the proper safety procedures yourself (not introducing bacteria to the meat, not putting the meat in an envrionment to promote bacterial growth, and properly cleaning and sanitizing your food contact surfaces).
FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH FAT
Keep in mind, that you have to calculate a meat block. It's not really a big deal if you're only grinding a couple of pounds, but for general knowledge, here goes... You need to take the % from the total meat weight. For example, if you have 10 pounds of lean beef, you don't figure out 20% based on the 10 pounds (which would be 2 pounds). 10 pounds meat and 2 pounds fat (12 pound meat block) yields 83% lean and 16% fat. That's not 80/20. To calculate your meat block, use the following equation:
Step 1: Pounds of lean meat you have X percent of fat you want
Step 2: Divide that number by the percent of lean meat you want
I want an 80/20 blend
I have 14 pounds of lean beef
Step 1: 14x20 = 280
Step 2: 280 / 80 = 3.5 pounds fat is needed for 14 pounds lean
So my meat block is 14 # lean and 3.5 # fat for a total of 17.5#
FOOD SAFETY
As far as food safety is concerned, here goes: bacteria MAY be on the outside of your meat. If you grind the meat, the bacteria on the outside gets mixed up and now may be on the inside of your burger patty (vs cooking a steak where you are cooking the outside).
Now, for the first concern: The bacteria has to be on there to begin with, which isn't always the case, but it is possible. Other factors such as time and temperature may cause bacteria (if it is there) to grow into a larger number. This means a store or restaurant may abuse the meat and may cause more bacteria to grow (if its is there). So knowing you are grinding a piece of meat that you have kept cold and fresh can help reduce the number of bacteria you grind up (if it is there).
The second and most likely concern: As mentioned, the bacteria has to be on the meat to begin with....unless... unless you introduce the bacteria to the meat via the grinder. Not properly cleaning your grinder can cause bacteria to build up and grow inside the grinder and now you've introduced bacteria into your ground meat. You never know how much meat a processor or store is grinding at one time and how good of a job they did cleaning the grinder.
All this being said, you can argue it's safer to grind your own meat, but you must take the proper safety procedures yourself (not introducing bacteria to the meat, not putting the meat in an envrionment to promote bacterial growth, and properly cleaning and sanitizing your food contact surfaces).
FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH FAT
Keep in mind, that you have to calculate a meat block. It's not really a big deal if you're only grinding a couple of pounds, but for general knowledge, here goes... You need to take the % from the total meat weight. For example, if you have 10 pounds of lean beef, you don't figure out 20% based on the 10 pounds (which would be 2 pounds). 10 pounds meat and 2 pounds fat (12 pound meat block) yields 83% lean and 16% fat. That's not 80/20. To calculate your meat block, use the following equation:
Step 1: Pounds of lean meat you have X percent of fat you want
Step 2: Divide that number by the percent of lean meat you want
I want an 80/20 blend
I have 14 pounds of lean beef
Step 1: 14x20 = 280
Step 2: 280 / 80 = 3.5 pounds fat is needed for 14 pounds lean
So my meat block is 14 # lean and 3.5 # fat for a total of 17.5#
Posted on 6/17/24 at 12:51 pm to Roscoe14
I buy a packer brisket, trim off the thick parts of fat for tallow, grind it, form patties and freeze those patties. Once frozen individually I put them into a ziploc bag and take them out to cook whenever we want burgers. They come out fantastic every time. I put some oil in the cast iron over medium heat, and the burgers defrost while they cook. Once they are well browned and crispy the internal is a nice medium.
Long answer to say: brisket
Long answer to say: brisket
Posted on 6/17/24 at 1:24 pm to Midget Death Squad
quote:
form patties and freeze those patties.
I may actually try that to have some quick burgers available. Even my kids could throw a couple in the pan when they want burgers.
Posted on 6/17/24 at 1:47 pm to Roscoe14
Do it. The first few times it is fun. I have two and a third ancient hand crank cast iron one that Moses used in the desert to grind Manna into Manna pot pie meat.
If you are loke most, you will eventually go back to the grocer and unless you process your own deer. it will find a nice place in your pantry and hardly ever get used again.
Everyone wants you to grind brisket and that cut makes a fine/expensive burger and a nice mess to clean up after you grind more than you mill eat, then freeze the rest.
I had a friend back in the 1950s who thought his mom was grinding "ends meat" for the family meals. Every time he saw her grinding meat for them, he heard her say she was "making ends meat". He grew up thinking that was some kind of cut she got from the butcher. Back then it was cheaper to buy whole cuts (rump, chuck, sirloin) and grind it at home. Now the factory meat suppliers run a whole cow down the grinder (senior beef). The steer is too tough for steaks or roasts and only good for grinding. What they don't sell to McDonalds, goes into 1 pound chubs and is sold by your grocer, cheaper than you can do it at home. Still tastes fine.
I would love to get a count on how many folks here have a grinder and then how many of them use it a lot, vs hardly ever. How many see it as a good tool and how many see their grinder as a dust collector.
If you are loke most, you will eventually go back to the grocer and unless you process your own deer. it will find a nice place in your pantry and hardly ever get used again.
Everyone wants you to grind brisket and that cut makes a fine/expensive burger and a nice mess to clean up after you grind more than you mill eat, then freeze the rest.
I had a friend back in the 1950s who thought his mom was grinding "ends meat" for the family meals. Every time he saw her grinding meat for them, he heard her say she was "making ends meat". He grew up thinking that was some kind of cut she got from the butcher. Back then it was cheaper to buy whole cuts (rump, chuck, sirloin) and grind it at home. Now the factory meat suppliers run a whole cow down the grinder (senior beef). The steer is too tough for steaks or roasts and only good for grinding. What they don't sell to McDonalds, goes into 1 pound chubs and is sold by your grocer, cheaper than you can do it at home. Still tastes fine.
I would love to get a count on how many folks here have a grinder and then how many of them use it a lot, vs hardly ever. How many see it as a good tool and how many see their grinder as a dust collector.
This post was edited on 6/17/24 at 1:52 pm
Posted on 6/17/24 at 2:02 pm to BhamTigah
quote:
I may actually try that to have some quick burgers available. Even my kids could throw a couple in the pan when they want burgers.
Yup. It works. At first it doesn't make sense that cooking from frozen would cook well, but it surprisingly does. You have to keep on medium heat though, can raise to medium high once defrost is done. I flip more often as well to make sure it defrosts throughout without burning. It does defrost quickly.
Regarding grinding ones own vs store bought. I find most store ground meat to be chewy and poor texture. I have been having a grinder for years and never used it, because I didn't know how to properly grind. I never wanted to take the time to make the mess. I got tired of all the chewy meat I keep buying and decided to finally break out the grinder. I'll never go back. I notice a clear difference between the two, and it is much cheaper to buy a brisket or rump roast to grind vs the store ground stuff. To each his own, but I have never looked back. I will buy store if I need something last minute and quick.
Posted on 6/17/24 at 2:14 pm to Roscoe14
I do ribeye bacon burgers every year for the 4th of July. Just cut into cubes and grind all the meat the mix it together. The bacon needs to be cold or it’ll get stuck in the grinder
Posted on 6/18/24 at 12:28 pm to BhamTigah
quote:
if you are not doing something to kill the bacteria on the outside of the roast before grinding it, you have the same issues.
That’s exactly why I spray the roast with Lysol and let it sit for a few minutes before grinding.
Posted on 6/18/24 at 12:59 pm to MeridianDog
quote:every Fall I grind about 120 lbs 50%deer. 50% brisket. Then it sits for 11 months.
would love to get a count on how many folks here have a grinder and then how many of them use it a lot, vs hardly ever. How many see it as a good tool and how many see their grinder as a dust collector.
Posted on 6/18/24 at 5:29 pm to Roscoe14
4:1 Chuck: brisket works nicely for us. I've found that running it thru the grinder multiple times helps with the consistent
Posted on 6/19/24 at 10:04 am to Roscoe14
I use chuck exclusively. The chuck roast in today's meat markets needs no extra fat. Get meat very cold. Grind twice.
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