What % mix for ribeye and ground beef? Best Custom Blend?

[STEbbq]

I am planning on making burgers soon, and will naturally share the results.

This time, I wanted to mix it some ribeye steaks I had with ground beef.

I was thinking 80/20 ribeye/ground beef, with about 20% fat percentage.

I see there are all manner of recommendations online for custom blends using anywhere up to a 50/50 split if not more.

Question 1:

Where would y'all settle on the ribeye/ground beef % mix?

Question 2:

What is your best-ever custom burger blend?

[58limited]

1. I have never used ribeye in burgers so I can't help you with that question.

2. My best burger blend is: 45% brisket, 30% chuck roast, 25% short rib. I did not discard any fat, just ground it all up - it is probably 35% fat. This is the best burger meat I have ever had, nice juicy hamburgers, great meatballs, etc.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...e-meat-grinder

[Beefchop]

Lee Iacocca tells a story in his autobiography that Henry Ford II loved hamburgers but could never get one as good as the executive dining room chef made at Ford Motor Co. One day Lee had a private word with the chef and asked him his secret. His answer? He started with a 1-inch thick slab of NY strip steak. "Amazing what you can do when you start with a $5 steak!"

[Potkettleblack]

I wouldn't really use ribeye... it's tender to start with. The whole point of grinding is to tenderize the tough stuff, or improve the fat blend on the lean stuff...

Strip from the sirloin end would be about as steakhousey steak as I would go... much better to grind brisket, plate, chuck, rump... working muscles that build some flavor...

Now, that said, ribeye would make a very rich burger meat with a very minimal grind.

[Troutman]

It's kind of like using a brand new Cadillac to go to a destruction derby.

[STEbbq]

What do you mean by a very minimal grind?

[Potkettleblack]

I might just chop, rather than grind... but I wouldn't bother... chuck, brisket, short ribs and other working muscles... that's your prime grind...
There's 200 lbs of meat on a cow carcass that is only suitable for grounding... there's maybe 30 lbs of ribeye...

[bbqLuv]

Try out different %'s in each burger and tell which tastes best to you. then report back.

[RichieB]

I'm a fan of brisket and short rib at 70/30. Just did 2# of chuck. Never blended chuck with anything else. All good.

[rickgregory]

I think it would be interesting to grind ribeye by itself, then compare to ground beef.

A few months ago when I compared SRF with Double R Ranch (same people, choice beef) with CAB all used in burgers I didn't think there was a significant difference. Those were all 80/20 blend and the lack of a difference is likely because with my burgers I add mustard and red onions, with mayo on the bun and by time you do all that only the more obvious differences will show through.

I've had 70/30 blends that are much richer (big surprise) and one of the things I've been meaning to try is grinding a whole prime brisket from Costco. At $4-5/lb it's not cheap but it's also not really expensive and I could pull out the deckle fat and add it back to control the fat % at least a bit.

[Troutman]

I buy HEB Choice half briskets and grind them. No idea of the fat/lean ratio but I'd guess pretty close to 80/20. I think they're great. I mean it's a hamburger, come on. If I wanted a steak burger I'd cook the ribeye and use that. But what really makes my burger is the Secret Sauce and I'm not telling what that is.

Oh and a cold PBR too !! (ha... beat you to it bbqLuv )

[STEbbq]

I would use brisket but my family wants every bit of pastrami possible so we have some ribeye laying around and I thought to take advantage.

[Troutman]

That actually makes a lot of sense !!!!

[STEbbq]

Now I have sold the family on grinding your own meat, the plan is to use up the rest of the ground beef and then buy Costco chuck roasts for future burger grinds and mixes.

[STEbbq]

Lots of great ideas!

I am inclined to buy some short beef rib and mix that in as well.

I have to think some more about the logistics involved.

I guess I will have three piles of ground up meat, divide the spice mix per weight, and then mix and match as desired for that patty.

I recognize ribeye is overkill probably for burgers but I have a bunch in the freezer that it would be good to use.

[58limited]

Surplus ribeyes? A good use is to send them to me

[Troutman]

You can always do pastrami short ribs and grind the brisket for a change. Just sayin'....

[STEbbq]

I am gonna save this idea for future reference. It is tough though because my daughter wants my brisket pastrami for her bday dinner now.

I think I need to sell this as I will make the brisket pastrami as usual and here are the pastrsmi ribs as a freebie.

[STEbbq]

Then I can use the brisket for the burger grind next time assuming success with the ribs

[STEbbq]

Now I think about it, I am defrosting a prime brisket right now to make into pastrami so I will go and get some beef short ribs to add to the mix for this cook.

[Jerod Broussard]

I typically do 100% cow, 100% brisket. Lately thanks to successful deer hunts, 50% bacon-ends 50% venison.

[Troutman]

You know, now that you mention it, cow makes a great burger grind. I’m doin’ 100% cow in my next grind!!!!