Ground beef

[DaveDSC]

hey supose this is the newbies area.
I’m after some advice on ground beef.
I work with my butcher trying to make a good quality burger but recently we have ran into an issue. The last batch of burgers were extremely soft almost crumbly. If anyone has had this experience I’d like to know any solution. We opened and ground chuck fresh and changed the fat content up and down incase. I’m wondering if the cow could of been old or the meat should of been dried before mincing or perhaps wasn’t rested long enough?

 

[petehalsted]

I am no grinding expert, but I will get the conversation going for you.

It sounds like you may have either overworked the meat or allowed it to get to warm. Keeping your equipment as cold as possible and doing small batches. It doesn't take much temp to start breaking things down and that gives you a product that doesn't hold together well.

 

[DaveDSC]

I suppose one difference that we had was that we balled the meat after grinding. Mabie should of put the grind back in the walk-in first. Or after ever stage, trim then chill, grind then chill, ball then chill.
It was a majorly different end result to what we usually have had so do you guys think temp could of been the only factor as I’ve seen popups use meat that must have warmed and the product was firm and juicy.

 

[daveomak]

What is "ball" ??

Could be dull blade or grinding plate that needs resurfacing...

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/sharpen-your-grinder-blade-and-true-the-plates.175359/

 

[DaveDSC]

Ball the meat. Just portioning it. Going for 150g balls then smashing on a flattop

 

[daveomak]

Thanks.....

 

[DaveDSC]

Had a quick look at the effects of a dull blade and yes consensus is that any smearing with a dull blade and warm fats will cause the meat to be soft. I will get a batch ran out with a sharpened grinder and report back

 

[SonnyE]

I would never want my balls on a flattop.
But that's just me. I make patties with a press.
Weigh out 1/4 pound, patty paper, wa-zoo.
Packaged in pounds (4 patties).

 

[chef jimmyj]

Too little fat will give a crumbly finished product as well...JJ

 

[DaveDSC]

Yea we played up and down with the fat but kept around 20% but still couldn’t fathom the reason. Would you say higher? We decided to go for smashed rather than a press so it wasn’t too compressed and risk drying out also to get better surface contact. Where I’m at in the U.K. is pretty lacking in advice so I’m learning from online sources and people such as Meathead.

 

[chef jimmyj]

20-25% works well. A double grind is helpful to combine meat and fat. First grind gets hand mixed to release binding proteins. The second grind will homogenize everything into a uniform mince. Do not mix or handle the second ground meat too much. Gentley work up your balls then flatten. The finished product will be uniform, hold the fat better and patties will remain tender after cooking. Just like pie crust. The more you work it, the tougher it gets...JJ