Smash Burger Prep 🍔🍔

[pkadare]

I present to you 21 smash burgers waiting to be born (that's actually 42 smash burger "eggs"). Made from a couple of packer brisket flats I ground up. I think I'll be set for burgers for a while. 👍

That's my wife's new Microsoft Studio Laptop in the background which I'm currently working on configuring for her before it replaces her current laptop. 🧑‍💻

[jfmorris]

I have so thought of pre-making the burger balls for smash burgers, and freezing them. I've just never had the nerve to try it. Does it work pretty well, and can you tell a difference from smashing fresh ground beef? How far in advance before grilling do you pull them out to thaw?

This would be ideal for me, as the local Fresh Market always has a good sale on ground chuck every TUESDAY, but I don't want to buy ground beef and hang onto it until the weekend most times, unless I do plan to freeze it.

[pkadare]

Regarding the hot water thawing, I always grind my own beef so I'm confident in my food handling techniques. Not sure I'd go this route with store bought ground beef. Here's an article on the subject:

https://web.archive.org/web/20210204073355/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/08/dining/a-hot-water-bath-for-thawing-meats-the-curious-cook.html

[jfmorris]

pkadare thanks! I was going to ask next how you kept them from squishing flat when vacuum sealing! I think I will definitely do this the next time I buy ground beef on sale.

[Attjack]

I just move them from the freezer to the fridge in the morning. In contrast, pizza dough goes from the freezer to the countertop in the morning.

[Sid P]

Do you add fat to them? What’s the approximate fat percentage of your brisket flats?

[Sid P]

Cool, thanks!

[pkadare]

I also do a double grind, starting with my largest die and then doing it again with a medium die. I find this helps to distribute the fat more evenly through the ground meat.

[Porkies]

I worked at a locally owned grocery as a youngster and we always ground the meat, let it sit in the cooler, change the die and then grind it into "ground beef". You're absolutely right about the fat being better mixed in with the meat on the second grind.

[Attjack]

I do the same only I just use sandwich bags. It's very convenient now that I ditched my chest freezer for an upright. Before that sometimes they would get lost.

[pkadare]

Totally with you on the chest versus upright. If it were entirely up to me I'd have already ditched our chest freezer, instead, I'm just patiently waiting for it to die.

[Attjack]

I've only had it for a month or so. It's been a life changer.

[Huskee]

+1 on the upright freezer. I have one (ditched the chest) and I agree it is a game changer. The only thing is ya gotta watch out for toe-busters falling on ya, otherwise win win.