Hamburger meat.

[Cooking4Fun]

I was trying to buy meat for hamburgers and found 100% beef patties. I assumed they'd be preseasoned but they weren't, and when I looked online afterwards read that beef chuck is more commonly used? What is the most typical hamburger?

 

[Andy M.]

In addition to 100% beef (no additives or other meats added), the most important factor is fat percentage. Ground beef can be 75%lean/25%fat, 80/20, 85/15, 90/10. The fat level contributes a lot to the flavor of the finished product. Many burger experts recommend 80/20 for that reason. OTOH, more fat means more shrinkage and more flare-ups.

Ground beef is seldom sold pre-seasoned. You should plan on doing your own seasoning. Ground chuck is a good choice. Chuck is a flavorful cut of meat and has a good fat percentage.

 

[dragnlaw]

Best and most comprehensive explanation I've ever seen Andy... Thank You.

 

[Cooking4Fun]

In addition to 100% beef (no additives or other meats added), the most important factor is fat percentage. Ground beef can be 75%lean/25%fat, 80/20, 85/15, 90/10. The fat level contributes a lot to the flavor of the finished product. Many burger experts recommend 80/20 for that reason. OTOH, more fat means more shrinkage and more flare-ups.

Ground beef is seldom sold pre-seasoned. You should plan on doing your own seasoning. Ground chuck is a good choice. Chuck is a flavorful cut of meat and has a good fat percentage.

Yeah I got the 20% fat ones. Don't think they had leaner there. Season each side or must the seasoning get inside? Know how to portion seasoning per patty? Is that by weight?

 

[Andy M.]

I season with salt and pepper on both sides of the burger. I do not work the seasoning into the ground beef before shaping the patty. Too much kneading/mixing/shaping will make a denser burger.

I have no idea how much salt and pepper I use other by weight or volume. I generously season both sides before cooking.

 

[Badjak]

I work the seasoning into the patty.
But definitely make sure not to work the ground beef too much!
My burgers will typically have garlic, onions & chili pepper in them with whatever else I fancy at the time

 

[thymeless]

Just do the math. If it's 100% pure beef, seasonings would dilute that percentage and have to be shown on the package as ingredients.

There is naive ruckus over such things because taco meat made with 100% ground beef won't end up as 100% beef because you add onion, garlic, seasonings and so on. If you want it to taste like a taco, it won't be 100% meat anymore.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Not all 100% ground beef is created equal.

“100 percent beef patties, these are similar to ground beef but can contain partially defatted chopped beef. Regular "beef patties" can also contain defatted beef, and organ meats, water, binders, fillers, and extenders. Those latter ingredients must be listed on the label.”

 

[thymeless]

While I get what you're driving at, how is partially defatted chopped beef not beef?

 

[Aunt Bea]

While I get what you're driving at, how is partially defatted chopped beef not beef?

Where did I, or the quote, say it’s not beef?

The point is that all ground beef is not made from familiar cuts and may contain beef by products.

 

[thymeless]

Would you explain by products then. I mean when you butcher a cow, no cut is 100% perfect. There are trimming scraps which is where ground beef comes from generally. Is that a by product?

For hamburger, the butcher can add fat, to hit particular ratios, but is otherwise still ground beef.

I'm asking that how is mechanically separating meat (via centrifuge) from fat and gristle a flawed product compared to hand made trimmings?

 

[Aunt Bea]

Would you explain by products then.

No.

 

[thymeless]

Meat by product has a meaning not met in this discussion. The division is mostly along the lines of striated vs smooth muscle plus organs.

Not how the meat is separated from other parts.

USDA ERS - Beef and Pork Byproducts

Byproducts include virtually all parts of the live animal that are not part of the dressed carcasses. Byproducts account for more than 10 percent of the value of cattle and more than 6 percent of the value of hogs.

www.ers.usda.gov

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I season with salt and pepper on both sides of the burger

Even with Emeril LaGasbag ranting about seasoning both sides of meat. I only season one side, because I am gong to eat both sides at the same time.

 

[taxlady]

I don't think meat is mechanically separated using a centrifuge. According to Wikipedia:

Mechanically separated meat (MSM), mechanically recovered/reclaimed meat (MRM), or mechanically deboned meat (MDM) is a paste-like meat product produced by forcing pureed or ground beef, pork, mutton, turkey or chicken, under high pressure through a sieve or similar device to separate the bone from the edible meat tissue.

That doesn't sound like something I want in my ground beef.

 

[Andy M.]

Even with Emeril LaGasbag ranting about seasoning both sides of meat. I only season one side, because I am gong to eat both sides at the same time.

Yes, but what if you bite into the burger seasoned side up? Taste buds are on the tongue.

 

[dragnlaw]

I don't think meat is mechanically separated using a centrifuge. According to Wikipedia:

That doesn't sound like something I want in my ground beef.

Maybe not in your ground beef... but what about in your all beef hot dogs? or your all pork hot dogs? and your all chicken hot dogs? Didn't you just have hot dogs the other night?

Yes, but what if you bite into the burger seasoned side up? Taste buds are on the tongue.

But what if you bite into the burger with part of the bun on top and part of the bun on the bottom.
So.... I suggest to you - take it for what it is worth... -
what if you stick your tongue into the middle of the burger, you then have the choice of aiming your tongue to the top of the meat patty or the bottom.
Just please be careful when you bite down that you have removed your tongue from the incision area.

 

[thymeless]

Advanced meat recovery - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

is included

 

[dragnlaw]

OMG - TMI - LOL

 

[taxlady]

Advanced meat recovery - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

is included

Oops, you are right. It can be part of the process of mechanically separating meat.