How do you get a Juicy grilled hamburger??

[deltadoc]

I posted this sometime before in greater detail, try a search of deltadoc's posts. Tips from my friendly Byerly's butcher, Glenn.

1. Never use any of the grayish fat.

2. Use only the solid white fat. Press on it with your finger, it should feel pretty firm and solid.

3. Never use the seam.

4. Never use anything questionable like tendon, vein, connective tissue, gristle.

5. Partially freeze the meat before grinding.

6. He picks out long swatches of perfectly marbled chuck for me to grind so I don't have to wonder!

doc

[Suzanne]

With apologies to the international crowd: Isn't it funny that in a country where so many people are so obsessed with cutting out fat, the thing that makes our favorite food really great is . . . FAT!!!!

My two mantras are:

1. Fat carries flavor; and
2. All things in moderation.

[Pete]

Suzanne, I have two mantras very similar to yours.
1. Fat is flavor
2. Everything is better with bacon!!!!

[SushiGaijin]

Originally Posted by skilletlicker

I ground 3 lbs. of chuck over the weekend with a KitchenAid food grinder. Turned out great but I have two questions.

1. Should the large hunks of white stuff be cut out before grinding or is this what is needed to bring the fat content to 20 percent?

2. The instruction pamphlet says, "For better mix and more tender results, grind beef twice". Later it says, "Fatty meats should be ground only once." Is chuck a fatty meat in this context? Can anyone elaborate on the underlying point here?

Thanks again to everyone!

the fattier the meat, the more easily it becomes overworked. even if you loosely pack an overworked burger, it will still taste pasty or greasy. A second grinding can be enough for meat to be overworked. a lightly worked burger keeps the fat where it belongs, suspended in the meat, rather than loose in the mix.

if you add anything to your burgers (i like a little salt and worcestershire) distribute it evenly over the top of the meat so that you dont have to knead it much to incorperate. A quick toss, like as seasoning greens, is all that you really need. everyone else seems to have answered the question regarding the cold fat.

Erik.

[knightdo]

Dinks easy recipe (sorry if it is repetitive):

Meat: Ground chuck (1/3) and ground sirloin (2/3). Don't add anything. It's a burger, not a mini meatloaf. Home grinding is clearly superior if you have time. If you do decide to homegrind, choose a good cut of meat.

Pattify: Handle the meat as little as possible. Make the patties whatever size you deem appropriate accounting for cooking moisture loss. Make them concave on both sides (thinnest in the middle) to account for expansion. Salt (fleur) and pepper (tillicherry).

Grill: Fajita type grills work great. If unavailable, use a Weber.

Wood: Anything works, but hardwood charcoals are clearly more tasty (apple, pecan). I avoid mesquite as it is too strong.

Cooking: Bring the patties up to room temp. Coals should be medium high heat (just post white). Waterbottle for flair ups. Couple of minutes per side. Take them off the moment you think they are done. Set aside under foil for ten minutes to allow for consolidation (very important. Make your hungry guests/family wait.)

Serving: White fluffy kaiser rolls and your fixins.

Troubleshooting:
Dry: Check the fat content of the meat you are using. Higher is better. If you are concerned about health, make smaller patties. You may also be overcooking.

Overcooked: Don't question that little voice that says 'I think there done.' The ten minute consolidation adds 2-3 minute of equivilent grill time. They should not be done when they come off the grill.

Bitter taste: The wrong wood and burning oil can lend a bitter taste. Try some different woods, stick with what you like. Do not use olive oil to non stick the grill. Use peanut oil. Kill flairups with your spray bottle.

Cooks Illustrated had a great article on this a couple of years ago.

Knightdo