homemade hamburger meat?

[fxsales1959]

I've done jumped into a rabbit hole with my new Kitchenaid mixer. bought the metal meat grinder and was wondering if it's logical to grind my on burger. We only buy burger (they call it ground chuck) at our italian mrket where they rind it there. Typiclly we buy 5lbs at a time when it's on sale and that's $4.99/lb. Mama makes 1.25lb vac bags for things like tacos or manwhich. I usually make 8-10 3 oz balls for smashburgers before she divides it up.
I' guessing its 80/20 or thereabouts. always looks good, but the last batch we got didn't cook up too good for taco.s
I'm just thinking how good smash burgers would be freshly ground, but i have no idea what to grind. I read a lengthy thread fom last year and got cornfused. Or course if the contents cost more than what we now buy it doesn't make sense. I'm not planning on mass grinds like if I had a LEM or the like.
I have found a copy cat recipe for Jimmy Dean hot breakfast sausage patties, when butt goes on sale for $.99/lb at W/D.
sorrry such a long post.

 

[smokerjim]

When you grind your own you know exactly what it's made from, from my years in the meat business I know ground chuck is usually just a generic name for 80/20, there is probably scraps from every part of the cow mixed together from chuck to round to loin meat. Some places use tube meat which comes to them coarse ground in 10lb tubes then they just run that through the grinder and package it up like its their own but unless you can find things on sale like chuck roast or whatever you like it will cost you more to make your own.

 

[radioguy]

Look for brisket on sale. It makes the best burgers

RG

 

[chef k-dude]

I grind my own chuck because I like my burgers pink or medium. I dont trust store or pre-ground beef enough to eat it medium. Ground boneless chuck roast works well for me and usually seems to be about 75-25 which I prefer for burgers. I always buy meat on a very good sale unless there is a special reason not to.

I dont have any hangups about whether the meat has never been frozen. I actually think freezing tenderizes the meat a bit. A lot of people dont realize some fish for sushi has been purposely frozen just for the purpose of tenderizing it so its easy to bite clean through.

That's the only time I grind my own beef. For anything that gets cooked through like meatloaf, tex-mex stuff, etc. I just look for the best sales of ground beef.

I also grind my own pork. Partly because ground pork isn't as easy to find in the major grocers here and I can usually get a butt for less than packaged ground pork. I de-bone a butt, cut the prime portions in to "country ribs" then grind the rest. I use it for certain meals like Asian stuff (see my featured post on Laab Gai). I have made some outstanding breakfast sausage but we have an old school grocer that makes excellent sausage for a great price, and my wife grabs some blocks of some other sausage when she goes down to NC to visit family that is outstanding for a decent price, so I haven't made breakfast sausage in some years now.

 

[chopsaw]

no idea what to grind.

I buy packer briskets to grind if the price is decent . I also have access to chuck pectoral .
I buy a lot of primals , and break them down . So I always plan some grind out of that mix , from the trim and add in whatever lean is needed . So depending on what I buy , I'll have a mix of ribeye , sirloin and brisket .
Also grind all my pork for sausage . When I grind butts , I season some , but also leave batches unseasoned . That way if I run out of something , I can thaw the grind and season it as needed .

I pre season ground pork with a chorizo mix from AC Leggs . Freeze it in 1 1/2 pound packs , and use that for taco meat .

I dont have any hangups about whether the meat has never been frozen. I actually think freezing tenderizes the meat a bit. A lot of people dont realize some fish for sushi has been purposely frozen just for the purpose of tenderizing it so its easy to bite clean through.

I agree . I was told by a professional Chef that the moisture in the protein freezes into ice crystals , and swells . That in turn cuts the fibers and tenderizes the meat .
Not saying that as a fact , but seems to make some sense .

 

[Gonna Smoke]

bought the metal meat grinder and was wondering if it's logical to grind my on burger.

I think so. Like others have said, you may not necessarily save a lot of money, but there's satisfaction in doing it yourself plus you know what's in it. I suspect that after you do it a few times, you'll buy a dedicated grinder...

I grind my own chuck because I like my burgers pink or medium. I dont trust store or pre-ground beef enough to eat it medium.

I worked in the meat department for a major grocery chain many, many years ago and I know what sometimes ends up in the burger...

I also grind my own pork. Partly because ground pork isn't as easy to find in the major grocers

Me, too for the same reason...

I buy packer briskets to grind if the price is decent . I also have access to chuck pectoral .
I buy a lot of primals , and break them down . So I always plan some grind out of that mix , from the trim and add in whatever lean is needed . So depending on what I buy , I'll have a mix of ribeye , sirloin and brisket .

This is what I like to do, too.

I like to make 6 oz. burgers to grill so I package my grind up in 18 oz. packs. Works for burgers and any recipe that calls for a pound of burger...

 

[chopsaw]

I like to make 6 oz. burgers to grill so I package my grind up in 18 oz. packs. Works for burgers and any recipe that calls for a pound of burger...

I do pork in 2 1/2 pound packs , because that's how I batch sausage . Based on Marianski recipes .

I do beef in serving size . 3 adults here , and I figure 1/2 pound each on average , so I pack beef in 1 1/2 pound packs .
That's another thing about doing your own , is you can make it work for you .

 

[mike243]

What I have found after a lifetime of hunting and fishing is to leave your meat in large portions until you need ground, like catching a great sale and running home and grinding then freezing, the ground will freezer burn a lot quicker than roasts ect. I leave large roasts to be cut up or ground as I need it, steaking out roasts and freezing works well also. don't dishwasher the new metal grinder lol.

 

[okie sawbones]

I'll join the chorus for grind your own. Ground chuck roast and pork butt for me.

 

[zwiller]

I agree . I was told by a professional Chef that the moisture in the protein freezes into ice crystals , and swells . That in turn cuts the fibers and tenderizes the meat .
Not saying that as a fact , but seems to make some sense .

+2. Also allows you to sear harder and keeps from overcooking which is needed for burgers IMO.

For sloppy joes/manwich a 50/50 beef/pork blend is INSANELY good. Much better than all beef IMO.

 

[Fraser]

Ditto all. Picked up couple packers (Kroger sale $1.87) and couple chucks, we have Grind Day now and then. Not sure we’re saving any money, but the flavor is thru the roof; once you go grind, you’ll never go back to bought. I see a grinder in your future

 

[gmc2003]

I'd grind my own, but I'm to lazy to clean it after. Be careful grinding with the KA John. I've heard that to much grinding can shorten their life expectancy pretty quick like.

Chris

 

[Fraser]

I'd grind my own, but I'm to lazy to clean it after.

Tip: I toss in a stale slice of bread at the end. Easy clean!

 

[tallbm]

I've done jumped into a rabbit hole with my new Kitchenaid mixer. bought the metal meat grinder and was wondering if it's logical to grind my on burger. We only buy burger (they call it ground chuck) at our italian mrket where they rind it there. Typiclly we buy 5lbs at a time when it's on sale and that's $4.99/lb. Mama makes 1.25lb vac bags for things like tacos or manwhich. I usually make 8-10 3 oz balls for smashburgers before she divides it up.
I' guessing its 80/20 or thereabouts. always looks good, but the last batch we got didn't cook up too good for taco.s
I'm just thinking how good smash burgers would be freshly ground, but i have no idea what to grind. I read a lengthy thread fom last year and got cornfused. Or course if the contents cost more than what we now buy it doesn't make sense. I'm not planning on mass grinds like if I had a LEM or the like.
I have found a copy cat recipe for Jimmy Dean hot breakfast sausage patties, when butt goes on sale for $.99/lb at W/D.
sorrry such a long post.

Hmmmm depends I guess.

Do you have any stores near you that are in the Kroger family? The kroger digital coupon thread has gotten so large I don't recall if you are on it or not :D

If you do then yeah it will be worth waiting for the TX whole packer brisket deals (like $1.87-$1.99/lb) and then grinding up that brisket for ground beef. Ground beef brisket is out of this world good for ground beef!
Also same thing when the $0.87-$0.99/lb Pork Butt deals hit about once every 4-6 weeks it seems.
You can get your ground breakfast sausage OR continue down into the sausage making rabbit hole which will pretty much require you to get a sausage stuffer of some kind. Everyone reports the Kitchen Aid sausage stuffing capabilities to be a huge hassle and waste of time.

Finally, do you own a good vacuum sealer? If so then you can easily vac seal your ground meat.
If you end up going so far down the rabbit hole that you get a stuffer, you will likely want to invest in some 1-2 pound ground meat poly bags and a bag tape sealer and you can basically be home free to do any/all grinding, packaging, and storing you want when the meat deals hit :D

I tell you all of this from experience :D

 

[fxsales1959]

I'd grind my own, but I'm to lazy to clean it after. Be careful grinding with the KA John. I've heard that to much grinding can shorten their life expectancy pretty quick like.

Chris

If I go apeshit on this there will be an LEM in the mail shortly. This is kinda like swappin the jeep from Carb to EFI. if it feels good throw more money at it

 

[fxsales1959]

Hmmmm depends I guess.

Do you have any stores near you that are in the Kroger family? The kroger digital coupon thread has gotten so large I don't recall if you are on it or not :D

If you do then yeah it will be worth waiting for the TX whole packer brisket deals (like $1.87-$1.99/lb) and then grinding up that brisket for ground beef. Ground beef brisket is out of this world good for ground beef!
Also same thing when the $0.87-$0.99/lb Pork Butt deals hit about once every 4-6 weeks it seems.
You can get your ground breakfast sausage OR continue down into the sausage making rabbit hole which will pretty much require you to get a sausage stuffer of some kind. Everyone reports the Kitchen Aid sausage stuffing capabilities to be a huge hassle and waste of time.

Finally, do you own a good vacuum sealer? If so then you can easily vac seal your ground meat.
If you end up going so far down the rabbit hole that you get a stuffer, you will likely want to invest in some 1-2 pound ground meat poly bags and a bag tape sealer and you can basically be home free to do any/all grinding, packaging, and storing you want when the meat deals hit :D

I tell you all of this from experience :D

we are Krogerless down here in N cuba.

 

[tallbm]

we are Krogerless down here in N cuba.

Well if you can get good brisket, chuck, and pork butt prices it can be worth it to grind for ground beef and pork :D
Or if a feral cow wanders into your kitchen aid grinder, that works too lol.

 

[uncle eddie]

Can't say it any better than they did above...

Although I have a LEM Big Bite #8 grinder for big jobs, I love my Kitchenaide meat grinder for little jobs. (You have to love a household appliance with a PTO!)
Ham & Turkey Salad give it the biggest workout.
Breakfast sausage next...
Burger should be no problem.

 

[Fueling Around]

This is central Florida logistics.
I think you still have a Costco card. Regular Costco is so-so on meat prices, but spot sales do happen. Do you have a Costco Business Center close by?
The Costco Business Center in Orlando has wonderful (and relatively inexpensive) hunks of beef that would make great ground If you have the trimming from a brisket to fatten it up. I prefer my ground around 80%.
I am NOT a fan of frozen ground beef. Cannot put my finger on the answer why.
Gordon Food Service also has bulk pricing. There is only 1 in central and not worth the drive for me. There is a bunch in your neck of the swamp.

Grinding pork is always a win win to me. The grind from Publix is too lean for my taste. I avoid meat from the Wally store. Finally found a W/D in a reasonable drive to start shopping meat sales.
I don't care if pork has been frozen as I often grind a couple butts and make a very low sodium Jimmy Dean Hot clone with half the batch and break the rest into 1,000 g (Kg) packages to make more sausage later.

Welcome down the rabbit hole Alice, uh John.

 

[cptnding]

fxsales1959 I went down this road myself a little while back. I think you're gonna be really happy with the results. For the money grinding pork is a no brainer but I was skeptical myself of the cost benefit with ground beef. I even asked the question here on the forum and got the same responses as you and I can confirm the difference between your fresh ground and store bought will be night and day.