Accidentally grabbed lean ground beef for burgers this afternoon. I have some bacon and was thinking I could dice it up and add that into the burgers to make up for some of the missing fat. Should I cook the bacon first or mix it in raw? Or just go back and get the right ground beef?
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Lean Ground Beef Burgers
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Last: 2 yr ago by eric76
If you cook the bacon first you'll render the fat in the pan instead of in the burgers. We add bacon to our grind with venison and it makes great burgers. Just be sure to dice it fine and mix well.
Just put the bacon in the freezer for like an hour and drop it in the food processor and it'll make quick work of that bacon, then just mix it in, problem solved.
Just like Max mentioned that's the way. You can also on top of doing the Bacon adding a Panade to your meat mixture. For every 1LB of meat add 1/4 cup panade.
The correct answer was go back to the store. Mixing in already ground meat ruins the texture of burgers and turns them into tough meatloaf. Ground beef for burgers should be handled as gently as possible while shaping into patties
I'd use the meat for tacos before trying to salvage it for burgers.
A question on this...do you mix salt, pepper, and/or other spices in the actual patties as opposed to just seasoning the outside of the patties before grilling?
I make a pretty decent burger but generally mix in garlic salt, pepper, and whatever else I feel like that day while forming the patties. I have tried the 'minimal' handling method without seasoning mixed in and didn't prefer it although maybe I just need to adjust how I'm seasoning the outside.
I make a pretty decent burger but generally mix in garlic salt, pepper, and whatever else I feel like that day while forming the patties. I have tried the 'minimal' handling method without seasoning mixed in and didn't prefer it although maybe I just need to adjust how I'm seasoning the outside.
Season, mix, then form the patties is the way, unless you want mcdonalds' type of burgers anyway.dgb99 said:
A question on this...do you mix salt, pepper, and/or other spices in the actual patties as opposed to just seasoning the outside of the patties before grilling?
I make a pretty decent burger but generally mix in garlic salt, pepper, and whatever else I feel like that day while forming the patties. I have tried the 'minimal' handling method without seasoning mixed in and didn't prefer it although maybe I just need to adjust how I'm seasoning the outside.
Remember that FIDO thinks anything different than what he does is automatically wrong and will let everybody know so. You don't want to work the meat until it's either paste or in a near solid form again, but don't take the "minimal handling" to the other extreme either - work it enough that it adheres to itself good when you make your ball, then smash it on the gril while it's cooking. Not hard, doesn't require some super secret club member ship, etc.
For the OP - dice and parcook bacon, reserve the fat. Mix it all in with the meat and you'll have solid burgers. Not as good as a good 30% fat ground beef burger, but still a burger that will be very enjoyable. Or find somethign else to do with that ground beef and go get you some higher fat grind to make your burgers with. Your call.
I think it depends on what kind of patty you're going to make. I prefer not to mix in the seasoning, as I think the salt on the outside helps with the crust development. I prefer to make the patties ahead of time so the meat proteins have a chance to set a little so they don't completely fall apart on the flattop. I also work the meat a little to help it hold together. Too little and it won't hold together, too much and it's a meatball, so you have to find your happy medium. For thicker patties, I put a dimple in the top to keep them flat and prevent the meat from forming a dome.
I always season after I make the patties. Most people don't season enough, which is why their burgers are bland. Also, seasoning before draws out more moisture making a drier burger. Numerous experiments have been done on this with Food Lab, Meathead, American Test Kitchen, etc and they all say to season after.
May be unnecessary but I do both. Garlic salt or powder, onion powder, coarse black pepper on the inside. Mix it up a little (but not too much!) and form patties. Then Lawry's seasoned salt and more black pepper once they are ready to go. Like said above, it's not rocket surgery and I'm pretty sure I learned by watching my dad 30 years ago.
But I was curious what other folks did as I've seen multiple references to not working the ground beef too much (fify protected?). I suppose you definitely could go too far and create meat paste...
Oh...an edit that I'm doing this on a grill as opposed to flattop...
But I was curious what other folks did as I've seen multiple references to not working the ground beef too much (fify protected?). I suppose you definitely could go too far and create meat paste...
Oh...an edit that I'm doing this on a grill as opposed to flattop...
Your obsession with me has become borderline sociopathic.
if it is lean ground beef I sometimes mix in A1 or Pickapeppa sauce, or both, then a couple dashes of Montreal steak seasoning
FIDO*98* said:
Your obsession with me has become borderline sociopathic.
In his defense you do come off as a pompous ass all over this board. There's a way to share your expertise without coming off like a dick, if that matters to you.
Know Your Enemy said:FIDO*98* said:
Your obsession with me has become borderline sociopathic.
In his defense you do come off as a pompous ass all over this board. There's a way to share your expertise without coming off like a dick, if that matters to you.
Been his shtick for years. He has solid advice and obviously has a lot of knowledge, but he's a known quantity at this point. The best part is that schmellba can be similar at times on the OB, so it makes me laugh to see the slap fight.
In my defense, I developed this reputation responding to advice that is literally indistinguishable from a person that is trolling a food board. I always think it's just banter back in good fun
FIFYFIDO*98* said:
Your obsession withmeyour culinary skills has become borderline sociopathic.
If cooking on a griddle I would recommend cooking some bacon first and then cooking the burgers in the bacon fat.
howdy streetfighter2012
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I'm a fan of using the absolute minimum handling required to form a rough patty that is about an inch to an inch and a quarter thick. That means no mixing anything into the meat unless you grind it youself and mix it in at the grinder.
The rationale is so not to compress out all the pockets in the patty. Leave room for the juices to accumulate instead of forcing them to run out into the pan.
After cooking, let the patty rest about 5 or 6 minutes before putting it on the bun. This allows the juices to congeal in the patty so that they don't just run out when you eat it and make the bun soggy.
Hockey pucks are for playing hockey, not for eating on a hamburger bun.
The rationale is so not to compress out all the pockets in the patty. Leave room for the juices to accumulate instead of forcing them to run out into the pan.
After cooking, let the patty rest about 5 or 6 minutes before putting it on the bun. This allows the juices to congeal in the patty so that they don't just run out when you eat it and make the bun soggy.
Hockey pucks are for playing hockey, not for eating on a hamburger bun.
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