It's a wonderful warm fall day and I think I'm going to try the Steakhouse Burger recipe.
I'm still learning the various cuts of meat and I'm always unsure of what to buy in the butcher shop because the names of things seem to vary so much. As it happens, my local shop has this on sale today:
Is that the same cut that Meathead recommends in his recipe? Or is it something only intended for braising?
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 think those would make excellent burgers! You want about 75/25 or maybe 80/20 meat/fat for great grilled brugers. Those look in that range to me, but I'm not an expert either. $5/lb is not cheap, but those will be some TASTY burgers if done right! Try Meathead's burger glop with 'em, and be sure to toast your buns. It will be unreal!
While I've done this recipe before, this was my first time grinding the meat myself. Things looked promising but then disaster struck when the meat hit the grill.
Unfortunately the patties didn't stay together at all. I lost most of the meat through the grill grates
The fat content appeared to be more than sufficient. I'm wondering if I ground the meat too coarsely.
It seems like you had some issues, though. I have had similar problems, and in my experience:
(1) the meat was either too fatty or not "tough enough" (that usually applies to poultry I grind myself...I need to add bread crumbs and binders)
or, more likely:
(2) it was not only fatty, but you didn't press the meat together enough. When I make sausage and don't put it in a casing, if I don't mash the meat a little bit with my hands, I find that it cooks in little unsatisfying clumps. I must actually "mush" the meat together to get the shape and form that I need.
I'll try a bit finer a grind. I was trying to heed the warning in the recipe not to pack the meat too tightly but perhaps I went too far in that direction.
I actually do have Grill Grates but they're 18.5", so they're too big for little Smokey Joe.
Thought I might update this post since I've learned a little bit since then.
In regards the meat, I've since read the Zen of beef ribs article and I'm sure it was just regular short rib that I bought. The fact that the store called them "braising ribs" is probably because it is a European butcher shop and that's how many of their customers would cook them.
I tried this recipe again a few weeks ago. Probably about the same grind but this time, I formed the patties a little bit firmer and they did not fall apart. Much better result.
Charley from Tampa is right. The patties need to be packed reasonably firmly to stay together.
Last edited by hungrybear; June 28, 2015, 07:10 PM.
I add a few egg yolks to my burgers. I know this may offend the purists, but by omitting the white you keep the texture and flavour of pure meat while adding a little richness and binding help. Add a few more if you feel your meat is too lean, great trick with lean wild game like deer or elk.
Comment