Calling All Meatheads-Custom Burger Grind

[motocrash]

Have you thought about jowl bacon? Fattier than regular bacon...

Never thought about it but I am now ;)

 

[steiger33]

We just ground a whole cow since she was older. We didn’t have any fat from previous calves of last year. So I went to the local stores that had their own meat counter and asked them to hold pork and beef fat. They don’t charge for it since they just through it out or pay a rendering company to pick it up.

Just thought I would throw this out there for you.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Alright moto! We are still waiting on the verdict!
:cool:

The last pork belly I bought for making bacon was in a sealed box. As it turned out it was super thin for sliced bacon, but I cured and smoked it anyway. Its not worth the hassle of trying to slice it but will all be "ends and pieces" for adding to beans and such. After watching this thread I think I know what I am going to do with at least some of it.

 

[Rings Я Us]

Alright moto! We are still waiting on the verdict!
:cool:

The last pork belly I bought for making bacon was in a sealed box. As it turned out it was super thin for sliced bacon, but I cured and smoked it anyway. Its not worth the hassle of trying to slice it but will all be "ends and pieces" for adding to beans and such. After watching this thread I think I know what I am going to do with at least some of it.

https://smokingmeatforums.com/threads/ground-formed-bacon-money-shot.265803/#post-1733120

 

[browneyesvictim]

Yeah, I thought of that, but Ill admit I have an aversion to that "fake bacon". That started years ago when it came out on the market in the stores. Its already cured and smoked now anyway. ...And a pot of beans were blessed with some of it already. Mmmm...mmmm... mmm... having some beans and bacon again for lunch. My office needs an air freshener right now!

 

[motocrash]

Alright moto! We are still waiting on the verdict!
:cool:

The last pork belly I bought for making bacon was in a sealed box. As it turned out it was super thin for sliced bacon, but I cured and smoked it anyway. Its not worth the hassle of trying to slice it but will all be "ends and pieces" for adding to beans and such. After watching this thread I think I know what I am going to do with at least some of it.

I don't have a pic of a cooked burger as I thought it silly as it looks like a regular 1/3rd pound burger.BUT, I am here to say that they are awesome! They taste just like a bacon cheeseburger but magically "missing" the bacon.The fat ratio was a little on the lean side because the meat in the bacon,though they were plenty "bacony".Next go round I think i'll up the bacon ratio to 60/40 or maybe try chuck as it has more fat.Though the Round had an excellent beefy flavor.

In summation,I am hooked on grinding custom burger blends and this one set the hook deep and unshakable.I also like the fact that I will cook them on the rarer side without worrying about it.This is obviously up to you.
I recommend trying this to anyone who is interested in grinding their own burger !

Bill

 

[Rings Я Us]

Pretty good idea.. My parents have been doing that with roast on sale.. making patties and freezing..

 

[motocrash]

Oh..when I cooked the burgers I didn't add any salt,just pepper.The bacon had all the salt needed for my taste without being overly salty.

 

[Rings Я Us]

Oh..when I cooked the burgers I didn't add any salt,just pepper.The bacon had all the salt needed for my taste without being overly salty.

:D

 

[motocrash]

View attachment 347979

:D

Johnny,will you go in and order one of those burgers for me?

 

[Rings Я Us]

Johnny,will you go in and order one of those burgers for me?

I'm banned for 2 weeks
:(

 

[troutman]

Nice burger mix. You got me thinking about doing it as well, along with adding cheese. Also see a fatty in my future, been a while since my old grinder been put to work. POINT for good old homemade deliciousness .......

 

[motocrash]

Nice burger mix. You got me thinking about doing it as well, along with adding cheese. Also see a fatty in my future, been a while since my old grinder been put to work. POINT for good old homemade deliciousness .......

I'm thinking of adding some small cubed cheddar (like 3/16) and pepper next go round also.It might need some NFPDM as a binder when you start adding cheese,japs etc.I'm excited to experiment,gonna get "grinders elbow" :cool:
Thanks for the point and I will keep everyone posted.

 

[motocrash]

I shall dub this emerging trend CBG -Custom Burger Grind

 

[browneyesvictim]

Ive been considering adding a little tenderquick to a burger grind... pastrami burgers perhaps?

 

[johnmeyer]

I've been working on an "ultimate burger grind" for several years. I still don't have it, but here's my current "best" recipe for 4-5 hamburgers:

10 oz. flap meat
8 oz. boneless beef shortribs
2-4 oz. oxtail.

I was using only the first two, but the burger just weren't juicy enough. I saw lots of sites recommending the oxtail, and it has provided the missing fat, and a very nice flavor. The only downside of the oxtail is that I need to be very careful trimming it, because it is too easy to get sloppy and include a few pieces of small bone or gristle that the grinder passes through. It's nothing that will chip a tooth or anything like that, but obviously people don't want an unexpected crunch in their burger.

Another thing I may try is to save the trimmings from when we have steak and use those pieces. We usually buy ribeyes at Costco, and while they do a good job trimming, I try to get out all the big pieces of excess fat in order to avoid flareups.

The recipe above produces really fantastic results, and I highly recommend it. I grind it using the coarse grind plate on my simple KitcheAid mixer grinder attachment.

 

[bluewhisper]

What's that grinder? It looks very similar to my chop-rite #10.

When I double-grind, I use a coarse plate for the first grind because it's much faster and easier.

 

[motocrash]

What's that grinder? It looks very similar to my chop-rite #10.

View attachment 348025

When I double-grind, I use a coarse plate for the first grind because it's much faster and easier.

It's a German made ALEXANDERWERK No 7.I only have the one plate(4.5mm-3/16") but I did reach out to our fellow member muhkuhmuh in Germany and he found new stainless plates on EBAY.They have 10 sizes plus the kidney plate,they have to be shipped from there but shipping is "Free".Plates are ~$16ea.They are 58mm-2.25" Diameter,a strange size here in the US.

 

[bluewhisper]

Huh, I've never heard of a #7 grinder. My #10 takes the same plates as a #12; the difference is a #10 clamps on (like yours) and a #12 has its own feet, or base, however you want to put it.

I love mine. I remember trying to turn that crank when i was a little kid.

 

[SonnyE]

Meat was in the freezer too long - 30 mins was too long,beef was almost solid.Had to let it warm a bit so auger would feed it.After one grind I stood pat,texture was perfect.They are in fridge for a day to meld flavors and then in freezer/vac pack.
Gonna try these before adding/changing anything before next go-round - spices,cheese cubes etc.I have another 1/2 price Choice Top Round the same weight that I picked up with this one.
Can you spot a dog in 2 of the pics?
Burgers tomorrow night!

I can spot a Dogs nose in Picture #1, and again the other end in Picture # last.

Love the grinder! I have (and use) a Climax 51. You can tell by the pointer in the picture.... :)
It's kind of small, but really gets the job done. It just ground up 5 boneless/skinless chicken thighs within the last hour, making dog food for my little toothless buddy. He was 14 yesterday... (98 in 'people years'.)
There's a lot to be said for these wonderful old cast iron workhorses! ;)