So I have been cosidering buying a prime brisket from Costco ($3.29 per lb) to grind up into hamburger. Just for grilling burgers. Anyone try this? How does it compare to other blends of meat for burgers? Any ideas on what the % of fat might be?
Currently my favorite hamburger to use for my burgers is 73%/27% el-cheapo hamburger from a grocery store near by my place. They are juicy and awesome every time.
Grill/Smoke/Roast = SnS Grills Kettle + SnS Deluxe Insert & Drip n' Griddle
Grill/Smoke/Roast = Hasty-Bake Gourmet Dual Finish with HB rotisserie and Grill Grates
Smoke = Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5"
Pizza = Blackstone Propane Pizza Oven (Stacy's, but she let's me use it sometimes)
Indoor Cooking = LG Studio 30" gas range
Camp Cooking = Coleman 2 burner white gas stove
Thermometer = FireBoard FBX2 with 2 ambient and 6 meat probes
Thermapen Mk IV = Light blue
Thermapen Mk IV = Black
PID Controller = Fireboard Drive + Auber 20 CFM Fan (FB gen 1 fan)
PID Controller = Fireboard Drive + Fireboard 20 CFM Fan (FB gen 2 fan)
Knives
Wusthof Classic Ikon set: 9" carving knive, 2X 8" Chef's Knife, 7" Santoku and three utility knives
Kamikoto Kuro set: 7" Santoku, 6.5" Nakiri, 5" Utility
Amazing Ribs Brazilian Steak knife set
Favorite wine = whatever is currently in the wine rack
Favorite beer = Sam Adams Boston Lager or Shiner Bock
Favorite whisky = Lagavulin Distiller's Edition 16 year old single malt
Best Cookbooks - Meathead's "The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling", Chris Lilly's "Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book", Aaron Franklin's "Franklin BBQ"
Cookbooks to check out - Raichlen's "Brisket Chronicles" and anything by Adam Perry Lang.
Current fanboy cookbook - "Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around the Levant"
Grill/Smoke/Roast = SnS Grills Kettle + SnS Deluxe Insert & Drip n' Griddle
Grill/Smoke/Roast = Hasty-Bake Gourmet Dual Finish with HB rotisserie and Grill Grates
Smoke = Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5"
Pizza = Blackstone Propane Pizza Oven (Stacy's, but she let's me use it sometimes)
Indoor Cooking = LG Studio 30" gas range
Camp Cooking = Coleman 2 burner white gas stove
Thermometer = FireBoard FBX2 with 2 ambient and 6 meat probes
Thermapen Mk IV = Light blue
Thermapen Mk IV = Black
PID Controller = Fireboard Drive + Auber 20 CFM Fan (FB gen 1 fan)
PID Controller = Fireboard Drive + Fireboard 20 CFM Fan (FB gen 2 fan)
Knives
Wusthof Classic Ikon set: 9" carving knive, 2X 8" Chef's Knife, 7" Santoku and three utility knives
Kamikoto Kuro set: 7" Santoku, 6.5" Nakiri, 5" Utility
Amazing Ribs Brazilian Steak knife set
Favorite wine = whatever is currently in the wine rack
Favorite beer = Sam Adams Boston Lager or Shiner Bock
Favorite whisky = Lagavulin Distiller's Edition 16 year old single malt
Best Cookbooks - Meathead's "The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling", Chris Lilly's "Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book", Aaron Franklin's "Franklin BBQ"
Cookbooks to check out - Raichlen's "Brisket Chronicles" and anything by Adam Perry Lang.
Current fanboy cookbook - "Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around the Levant"
I can't believe that people are seriously discussing using brisket for burgers. I mean, really. That is like saying SV is BBQ because it is low and slow.
(Now where the hell did I put that set of Kevlar underwear?)
boftx - I have a solution to your pain. We need two sets of forums. One set could be called "Old School", and would require digging that pit, and maybe just rubbing sticks together to get the fire started. If you want to go really old school, sharpen a stick, (after you chip out your flint knife), and procure your own meat. You would also be acquiring your cloths at the same time. And, of course, no seasonings of any kind. Now you are cookin' old school...
"Freestyle" would allow Webers, Kamados, stickburners, pellet burners, and any hybrids. You get to use metal in any form. Accessories such as pizza makers, thermometers and even electronics would be allowed - even praised. And you could take photos of the results using some of those electronics.
Guess which set I would spend my time in. LOL The bottom line for me is how the food tastes when I stick it in my face. And I do love my gadgets - A. Lot. If going Neanderthal floats your boat - go for it I will cheer on your efforts, but please don't rain on my parade because I want to smoke in the 21st century
I feel much better now... And of course, Old School means no Kevlar undies - maybe no undies at all.
Yeah a friend of mine told me I don't stand to gain much by grinding up a prime brisket. He doesn't think the flavor or tenderness is gonna be anything special
Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About meReal name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan- near Clare. (dead center of lower peninsula)
Occupation:
Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
I say price is the great equalizer in this context. If your brisket is cheaper than ground burger (and more gratifying doing it yourself) then do it. But, it's all in perception I guess. Would you rather pay $3.29/lb to grind our own burgers or pay more than that for preground? From that perspective the answer seems kinda obvious.
...However, on a personal note, it makes me wince thinking of doing that . I only say that because cheap brisket is so rare where I live that if I had one that cheap I could never grind it up, since I'd rather eat a delicious brisket than a delicious burger!
Lonestar Grillz 24x36 offset smoker, grill, w/ main chamber charcoal grate and 3 tel-tru thermometers - left, right and center
Yoke Up custom charcoal basket and a Grill Wraps cover.
22.5 copper kettle w/ SnS, DnG, BBQ vortex, gasket and stainless steel hinge kit.
Napoleon gas grill (soon to go bye bye) rotting out.
1 maverick et-733 digital thermometer - black
1 maverick et-733 - gray
1 new standard grilling remote digital thermometer
1 thermoworks thermopen mk4 - red
1 thermoworks thermopop - red
Pre Miala flavor injector
taylor digital scale
TSM meat grinder
chefs choice food slicer
cuisinhart food processor
food saver vacuum sealer
TSM harvest food dehydrator
I
...However, on a personal note, it makes me wince thinking of doing that . I only say that because cheap brisket is so rare where I live that if I had one that cheap I could never grind it up, since I'd rather eat a delicious brisket than a delicious burger!
I agree on grinding prime brisket. Just seems wrong! On the other hand, my freezer is well stocked with home ground burger (of cervid origin) so I want not for great burger. One advantage to grinding your own, regardless of what you grind, is that you can confidently cook it rare to medium rare without worry! That, in & of itself is worth something.
Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About meReal name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan- near Clare. (dead center of lower peninsula)
Occupation:
Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
I agree on grinding prime brisket. Just seems wrong! On the other hand, my freezer is well stocked with home ground burger (of cervid origin) so I want not for great burger. One advantage to grinding your own, regardless of what you grind, is that you can confidently cook it rare to medium rare without worry! That, in & of itself is worth something.
Technically, you should shock it first- dip the chunks into boiling water for 10seconds right before grinding. Then no surface bugs, eat yourself a rare hamburger!
Are you saying bring the meat down to aprox. 32-34 degrees and right before grinding, boil for 10 sec. I have not heard of that before. I guess that would kill off any surface bacteria??
Technically, you should shock it first- dip the chunks into boiling water for 10seconds right before grinding. Then no surface bugs, eat yourself a rare hamburger!
If anyone thinks 10 seconds of boiling "sterilizes" their meat, I want to talk to them about a couple real estate deals. If I start with good fresh meat, that has been handled properly and cleanly, the level of surface contamination is minimal. If I take that meat and grind it in clean equipment, package and freeze it quickly, thaw it appropriately, and cook it in a timely fashion, there is very little time for any small amount of surface contamination to proliferate to a disease threat level. The burger is not setting in a display case for days on end waiting for someone to buy it &/or re-mixed with some fresh when it gets discolored before purchased. I'll just keep doing it the way I have for the last 50 years and continue to "roll the dice" with rare/medium rare burgers. I have a level of confidence in my technique mostly because I know the "butcher". Anyone who wants their burger otherwise, gets it "nuked" to whatever level of ruined they wish, or they can have peanut butter on their bun instead!
As this is a commercial web site I know you have to recommend what is "technically correct". Technically I probably shouldn't drink coffee when I drive either... I know it's crazy, but I've been known to cold smoke salmon too... Sorry to rant. I'll shut up now...
Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About meReal name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan- near Clare. (dead center of lower peninsula)
Occupation:
Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
HorseDoctor I never said "sterilizes" (I have no way to test that claim). I think we're on the same page for the most part. You bring up some great points. The point I'm trying to make is highlighting exactly what you mention- if your meat is handled properly, not stored for days, etc etc etc. If we buy a hunk of meat from the store to grind up for burger, we have no way of knowing if the meat was in fact handled just as you say. Therefore, a quick dip in boiling water is added protection that surface bugs are killed, should they exist. Now, if you butcher your own steer according to proper, clean, and safe practices and rush that brisket or chuck right to the grinder, you're probably good.
Notice this page, the tan sidebar, 5th section down titled "If you must have medium rare burgers, there are four ways" and check out (2) Pasteurize the meat.
RonB I agree because if it was pastUReyes I would want to know if you have 20/20 vision, are near sited or farsided. If farsided, I would have to say I enjoy those cartoons as much as Jerry King's.
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