Turkey and Beef for Meatloaf/Meatballs/Burgers?

Ground turkey tastes similar to beef when cooked, so I think it would turn out pretty good. I make my meatloaf (sometimes) with bulk turkey sausage and chuck, and it turns out really good as well.

Sounds like a good idea to me, too. Especially as it would appear that the butcher is viewing this as a waste by-product. Must be quite a bargain.

Just don't let him know that you're using it for burgers, meatballs and/or meatloaf. He might give it a fancy name and sell it as a health food with a hefty markup!!

I make all my own ground beef, turkey,and pork and I add them together to make some great meatballs

Shel-
I have been using ground turkey for burgers, meatloaf, and meatballs for years- usually the turkey has more added water (less fat), so when you cook it, you have scrape or pour the "scum" off, but it tastes great. Watch the cooking time/temps - with less fat it tends to dry out easier.

And your butcher doesn't clean his grinder between grinding poultry and beef? I that would concern me a bit. Having said that, I'm sure you've used ground turkey in your cooking and am pretty sure you've used ground beef and guess there is no reason you couldn't mix the two - - come to think of it, I have done just that in chilli.

By the way, haven't tried your recipe for Manhatten Clam Chower yet for a various assortment of reasons, but it's on the agenda, I'm looking forward to trying it!

Having helped out in a family run butcher shop and restaurant, we always cleaned the grinder between different types of product for sanitation and health reasons. Perhaps we were just erring on the side of caution. If in fact we are that cautious about cross contamination and the spread of food borne illness by using separate cutting boards, knives, prep areas, it would just seem to me ...

Regardless, if you're comfortable with it and are happy with your butcher (and $0.39 a pound) go for it!