Processing Ground Beef

[GatorAGR]

I've read a lot of guys grinding meat mostly for sausage making, but do any of you buy brisket, for example, and process your own ground beef? Seems like it would be cheaper than buying ground beef at the store. Just curious.

 

[smokerjim]

And you know what's in your ground beef. There are some guys on here that do grind their own.

 

[Hijack73]

Absolutely
When brisket was .99/lb (and it was that price for a looongg time) I used brisket for about everything. Smoked it, ground it for all of my ground beef, made stews, pot roasts, even jerky out of it.

I clearance shop. Any cut of beef in the meat counter under 3.99/lb I buy. Chuck roast goes on sale for 3.99 or less, I buy a ton. Top round often goes on sale for 2.99/lb, I buy some of them too. When I need grind, all of that clearance meat, some fattier chucks (to make up for the leaner round) and the rounds all go through the grinder. I will have to do some soon, only one pack left.

I would do it if comercial ground beef was 10 cents a lb and every other cut was 5 bucks a lb. Once you start eating home grind, you can't eat store bought anymore. It smells and tastes horrible.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Yup, when the grinder is running for sausage I always grind more just for burger. We like pork burger as well as beef burger. I hardly ever buy preground burger in the store. It’s mystery meat.

 

[02ebz06]

I do. As @smokerjim said: "You know what's in your ground beef"

 

[DougE]

I would if I didn't have beef I raise processed for myself.

 

[HowlingDog]

I did for the first time earlier this year. Grabbed a brisket from Costco, tried out my new double grind attachment for the LEM and WOW, talk about a good burger...... I have a hunk of tri tip I am considering throwing in the next time I grind some brisket. Well worth it. The flavor is amazing.

 

[Smoking Allowed]

I grind all my burger. When using a whole packer brisket, I trim off all the fat. Then I weigh the meat and add in enough of the fat to stay around 80-85% lean. As has been said a couple of times, I know what's in it.

 

[GatorAGR]

Awesome. I was actually at Costco today and that’s what triggered the thought. Just got a stuffer so gotta play it cool with the wife for a while before I come home with the grinder

 

[cptnding]

Question for all you guys who grind your own beef:
Can you still tell a significant difference in quality from store bought after its been frozen for a while?

 

[KCinNE]

+1 for raising your own beef and having the butcher process it exactly the way you want.

 

[Hijack73]

Question for all you guys who grind your own beef:
Can you still tell a significant difference in quality from store bought after its been frozen for a while?

Yes

I recommend a vac sealer regardless of what you freeze, but my grind is as fresh as a daisy after being frozen for months. It smells and tastes very clean. A little moisture comes out as it thaws. It's been so long since I've eaten ground beef treated with ammonia (google at your own peril, then buy a grinder! - for the brave I'm going to link what packing companies and Uncle Scam likes to refer to as Lean Finely Textured Beef, aka pink slime) that I don't remember if store bought releases moisture.

Pink slime - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It did mostly go away for a bit, but the USDA say's that LFTB can now be labeled as ground beef.

A little more motivation -