Grinding your own beef

Pete C. said:

MOMPEAGRAM said:

I must say I'm going to try this. I know it's said that burgers
need fat, but I wonder what a Beef Tenderloin burger would be
like??? 😄

Dry and quite disappointing. Now if you were to grind some bacon in
with that tenderloin to provide the needed fat and additional flavor
I think you'd end up with a rather good integral bacon burger waiting
to be topped with some good cheese.

Pete C.

That sounds like an interesting idea; grinding up bacon with the meat. It
would help impart a nice smokey flavor through the beef, I would think.
Then, yes, top with some good cheese, add some sauteed mushrooms and onions,
fresh lettuce, tomato, maybe avocado too........ hmmmmm..........

kili <---- who isn't supposed to eat beef, but is willing to try this!

Peter A said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

A meat grinder is a really useful kitchen tool (and a food processor
is not a replacement). I use the KitchenAid attachment and while slow
it is perfectly functional. I grind beef for burgers, meatballs,
meatloaf, pork for Chinese cooking and meatloaf, lamb for various
things, fish once in a while to make fishcakes.

I love fishcakes, but I've never made them. Would you care to share a
recipe?

kili

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Absolutely. You have to try it. There's a big difference. But
grinding does make a mess. Make sure to wear an apron.

a mess? I've never had any particular mess when using my Oster Kitchen
Center meat grinder??? What type of grinder are you using?

It didn't seem particularly messy when I was doing it, but afterwards
there were red specks everywhere! On my clothes and the cabinets
nearby. As it was happening I didn't notice. But afterwards, the
specks just seemed to be all over.
--
Caryn
Caryn Nadelberg - Mommy to Sam and Queen of the May
www.carynen.blogspot.com

Quoted message said:

a mess? I've never had any particular mess when using my Oster Kitchen
Center meat grinder??? What type of grinder are you using?

Oh, I used the grinder attachment on my KA.

--
Caryn
Caryn Nadelberg - Mommy to Sam and Queen of the May
www.carynen.blogspot.com

aem said:

I like a mixture of top sirloin and chuck. Both are good by
themselves but the combination works better for me. -aem

That's what I do, too, equal amounts of each. Learned that from Alton
Brown. I also add 1/2 tsp. of powdered gelatin per pound of meat,
after reading about it in Cook's Illustrated. Helps keep the meat from
drying out.

David

kilikini said:

That sounds like an interesting idea; grinding up bacon with the meat.

Such an interesting idea, Kili, it begs the question why it's not already a
common meat staple. Both beef and bacon being around so long, why hasn't it
been offered forever. I suspect a problem here, but can't quite imagine
what it might be. Hmmm.... What are we missing? I'm thinking maybe issues with
incomplete cooking of the bacon on the inside of a burger patty, especially
for those who like their patties rare. Ya' think?

nb

Caryn Nadelberg said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Absolutely. You have to try it. There's a big difference. But
grinding does make a mess. Make sure to wear an apron.

a mess? I've never had any particular mess when using my Oster Kitchen
Center meat grinder??? What type of grinder are you using?

It didn't seem particularly messy when I was doing it, but afterwards
there were red specks everywhere! On my clothes and the cabinets
nearby. As it was happening I didn't notice. But afterwards, the
specks just seemed to be all over.
--
Caryn
Caryn Nadelberg - Mommy to Sam and Queen of the May
www.carynen.blogspot.com

I use the KA attachment on my Hobart. I saw the same sputtering problem,
but it's easily avoided by draping a piece of plastic wrap over the end
of the grinder to stop any splatter. You could also use AL foil to make
a similar splatter guard.

Pete C.

kilikini said:

Peter A said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

A meat grinder is a really useful kitchen tool (and a food processor
is not a replacement). I use the KitchenAid attachment and while slow
it is perfectly functional. I grind beef for burgers, meatballs,
meatloaf, pork for Chinese cooking and meatloaf, lamb for various
things, fish once in a while to make fishcakes.

I love fishcakes, but I've never made them. Would you care to share a
recipe?

kili

I make nice salmon cakes, but I don't use a grinder. I take fresh salmon
(not canned) and rough chop it. I add rough minced onion, potato flakes,
Old Bay seasoning and a little milk. I process this mixture with a hand
blender until it's well combined, adding milk or potato flakes as needed
to get a good formable texture. I form the cakes, roll them in bread
crumbs and then pan fry them. I normally make a big batch, fry them and
then vac bag them in pairs for the freezer since the freeze well and
defrost quickly. I'm sure you could use a grinder to accomplish the same
thing. You could also use other fish, fish combinations, crab, scallops,
shrimp, etc. to make nice cakes.

Pete C.

notbob said:

kilikini said:

That sounds like an interesting idea; grinding up bacon with the meat.

Such an interesting idea, Kili, it begs the question why it's not already a
common meat staple. Both beef and bacon being around so long, why hasn't it
been offered forever. I suspect a problem here, but can't quite imagine
what it might be. Hmmm.... What are we missing? I'm thinking maybe issues with
incomplete cooking of the bacon on the inside of a burger patty, especially
for those who like their patties rare. Ya' think?

nb

Bacon should be cured so cooking should not be an issue. Something to
validate for the bacon you select I suppose.

Pete C.

In article <[email hidden]>, kilikini1
@NOSPAMhotmail.com says...

Quoted message said:

Peter A said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

A meat grinder is a really useful kitchen tool (and a food processor
is not a replacement). I use the KitchenAid attachment and while slow
it is perfectly functional. I grind beef for burgers, meatballs,
meatloaf, pork for Chinese cooking and meatloaf, lamb for various
things, fish once in a while to make fishcakes.

I love fishcakes, but I've never made them. Would you care to share a
recipe?

kili

These are different from many recipes because they use raw fish. This
works well with mackerel and bluefish, probably with other kinds of more
flavorful fish as well.

Fish fillets
1/2c dry breadcrumbs
1/3c mayonaisse
1/3c chopped onion
1 egg
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Put the fish thru a grinder or chop it finely with a knife. Do not use a
food processor. You want about 2c. Mix with other ingredients and let
sit in fridge for at least an hour. Form into four 1/2 inch thick
patties and pan fry until cooked thru and browned on both sides.

--
Peter Aitken

Caryn Nadelberg said...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Absolutely. You have to try it. There's a big difference. But
grinding does make a mess. Make sure to wear an apron.

a mess? I've never had any particular mess when using my Oster Kitchen
Center meat grinder??? What type of grinder are you using?

It didn't seem particularly messy when I was doing it, but afterwards
there were red specks everywhere! On my clothes and the cabinets
nearby. As it was happening I didn't notice. But afterwards, the
specks just seemed to be all over.

Maybe you're grinding on too high a setting. I grind using speed 2. Meat
doesn't go anywhere but out and down into the bowl.

Sit the KA on the edge of the sink and put the mixer bowl in the sink to
catch the grind. If it doesn't go in the bowl it lands in the sink for easy
cleanup.

And as it says in the manual, grind twice. First with the course die and
then with the smaller die. I think it helps disperse the fat more evenly
and makes a denser grind. Course grind tends to fall apart easier. YMMV.

Andy

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I use the KA attachment on my Hobart. I saw the same sputtering problem,
but it's easily avoided by draping a piece of plastic wrap over the end
of the grinder to stop any splatter. You could also use AL foil to make
a similar splatter guard.

That's exactly what I do, otherwise there will be blood everywhere.

--
Peter Aitken

So, you've ground your own beef. What do you add after to make the
burgers? Do you add an egg? What seasonings? Bread crumbs?

--
Helen
in
FERGUS/HARLINGEN
http://www.mompeagram.homestead.com/index.html

In article <[email hidden]>,

Sheldon said:

Quoted message said:

As a bonus, most of the bad bacteria that might be on meat resides on
the surface of the meat. When it's ground there is a lot more surface
for that bacteria to multiply on, potentially to dangerous levels. By
grinding just before cooking, any bacteria that may be present doesn't
have time to multiply on those freshly exposed surfaces.

This is all true. But you can grind and freeze immediately and still
have a far better product than preground mystery meat. I usually
grind enough for cooking some right away but also to fill my freezer.
And there's no mess... anyone makes a mess grinding meat is a slob.

Remember those burgers I made for the freezer...

Ground top round makes a great burger:
http://i9.tinypic.com/530a8nl.jpg

The finished product, last night's dinner, a ten ouncer on a toasted
onyun roll... a la Stanly... and cancha tell I like onyuns:
http://i14.tinypic.com/62dyp3q.jpg

Wrap your lips around that!

Sheldon

Those plates are so beautiful. :-)

The food looks great too.

I'd gladly wrap my lips around that meat!

You can afford WARING???

Dayum.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

Pete C. said:

Quoted message said:

I know it's said that burgers need fat,
but I wonder what a Beef Tenderloin burger would be like??? 😄

Dry and quite disappointing. Now if you were to grind some bacon in with
that tenderloin to provide the needed fat and additional flavor I think
you'd end up with a rather good integral bacon burger.

What you'd end up with is ruined beef and ruined bacon... you've never
cooked anything more complicated than a bowl of corn flakes.

Sheldon

"Caryn Nadelberg" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a mess? I've never had any particular mess when using my Oster Kitchen
Center meat grinder??? What type of grinder are you using?

Oh, I used the grinder attachment on my KA.

--
Caryn
Caryn Nadelberg - Mommy to Sam and Queen of the May
www.carynen.blogspot.com

I use the grinder on my Kenwood. I never have a splatter problem and I
grind up heart.

--
Helen
in
FERGUS/HARLINGEN
http://www.mompeagram.homestead.com/index.html

In article <[email hidden]>,

Sheldon said:

(Steve Pope) said:

Caryn Nadelberg said:

[email hidden] wrote:
> Just wondering if grinding your own beef for burgers is superior to
> buying ground beef at a good upscale market such as Whole Foods. If
> so, whats are the best cuts or mix of cuts to create a tasty burger.
> Thanks
Absolutely.  You have to try it.  There's a big difference.  But
grinding does make a mess.  Make sure to wear an apron.

As a half-measure, you can select your piece of beef and have
them grind it for you at the butcher counter.  No mess that way.

Big no-no! There's no way to know what went through that grinder last
or how long ago. And those huge commercial grinders hold quite a bit
in the mechanism, so you don't get out all you put in... when you ask
the butcher to grind your two pound steak you're lucky to get one
pound of your steak and who knows what else your steak pushed out.
And todays meat departments do not have the grinder out where you can
see it like in your grandma's day, now it's hidden in the back, in a
refrigerated room by law. When you ask the butcher to grind your meat
you're going to get the very worst mystery meat. There is one and
only one way to know what comes out of a grinder, when it's your
grinder and you grind yourself.

Sheldon

True dat.

And it's really not "messy". No more messy than preparing any other
fresh meat.

I am so very glad I finally bought a dedicated meat grinder last
November.

Now I just need to find some beef that is affordable to grind. :-(
So far it's only had pork and poultry thru it.

Once I make sufficient freezer space, I may try to find someone local
that may want to split a whole steer with me. That's still the most
economical way to purchase beef. The prices have been really out the
roof here, altho' I may consider grinding brisket. We have before using
the kitchen aid attachments and it was wonderful. Right now, even with
no holiday sale, the trimmed is less expensive than mystery meat.

I have a venison hindquarter in the freezer still that is destined for
venison sausage. I need to debone it and weigh it so I know how much
pork to purchase to mix with it.

As for leftover meat in the grinder mechanism, the grinder gets taken
apart between uses and the meat gets cleaned out and salvaged.

Meat sitting in the grinder at the meat cutters???

Ew!!!
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

Pete C. said:

Quoted message said:

I must say I'm going to try this. I know it's said that burgers need fat,
but I wonder what a Beef Tenderloin burger would be like??? 😄

Dry and quite disappointing. Now if you were to grind some bacon in with
that tenderloin to provide the needed fat and additional flavor I think
you'd end up with a rather good integral bacon burger waiting to be
topped with some good cheese.

Pete C.

Geeze... Adding ground BACON to lean beef?
What's wrong with simply adding some beef chuck?

Or fresh pork shoulder?

Pork shoulder trimmings are what I plan to add to that deer meat.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

MOMPEAGRAM said:

So, you've ground your own beef. What do you add after to make the
burgers? Do you add an egg? What seasonings? Bread crumbs?

For burgers? Nothing except salt and pepper on the surface. Maybe
mix in chopped onion, but more often not. Other stuff goes on the
sandwich.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

In article <[email hidden]>,

Caryn Nadelberg said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Absolutely. You have to try it. There's a big difference. But
grinding does make a mess. Make sure to wear an apron.

a mess? I've never had any particular mess when using my Oster Kitchen
Center meat grinder??? What type of grinder are you using?

It didn't seem particularly messy when I was doing it, but afterwards
there were red specks everywhere! On my clothes and the cabinets
nearby. As it was happening I didn't notice. But afterwards, the
specks just seemed to be all over.

Were you using the kitchen aid?

That was true when mom used hers to grind meat,
but the new meat grinder has eliminated that issue.
Must be the power behind the grind perhaps?

There was no spatter mess at all when I've used a dedicated
grinder to grind meat for making sausage.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson