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Best Burgers EVER - complete FLOP!!!

JMCXL
JMCXL Posts: 1,524
edited August 2017 in EggHead Forum
A few months back I was reading about how to make the best burgers. Coarse ground 80 / 20 was the way to go (they say). So, over the weekend I ordered 3 #s of coarse 80/20. I was asked how many times do I want it ground??? How many times? I must have missed that. I asked how many times do they do the regular stuff they put out - "8 times."  Well I thought that was a little much so I said 2 times please. The beef was different than anything I had ever seen - so I thought this was going to be great.

(SORRY NO PHOTOS)

I remembered they called for a generous amount of salt and that was it.  I lightly formed the patties and salted them - off to the Egg.  The coals looked ready and I started the cook.  With 20% fat (and large pieces of fat), the fire was almost too much for my MM.  I battled through the cook and off to buns. I couldn't wait...  Well that's when things changed.  Parts of the fat were so hard you could not chew them; 1 in almost every bite.  

My family was very polite and finished every bite (in-between spitting out pieces of fat).  

I would love to know if anyone has attempted coarse ground beef burgers and what did I do wrong.  My thought was maybe 8 times with the coarse blades would have cut the fat enough that it would have cooked up and been fine. The texture of the beef was different but fine - it was the fat.  My other thought was the butcher used what ever fat he had and not the best for burgers...

Comments welcome. Thanks
Northern New Jersey
 XL - Woo2, AR      L (2) - Woo, PS Woo     MM (2) - Woo       MINI

Check out https://www.grillingwithpapaj.com for some fun and more Grilling with Papa (incase you haven't gotten enough of me)

Also, check out my YouTube Page
https://www.youtube.com/c/grillingwithpapaj

Follow me on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/GrillingPapaJ/

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Comments

  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,357
    Maybe he gave you 80% fat & 20% meat???
    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Never had the butcher do it. Sometimes, I buy a chuck roast, cut it into 1" cubes, freeze for 30 minutes and pulse it in my food processor. One second pulses til it looks right. Frankly, it tastes he same as the pre-ground I usually buy.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    That hard stuff was probably collagen/connective tissue maybe with some attached fat.  Probably why they grind it 8 times normally. 

    I trim all that stuff off when I grind my own and only run it through once.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Lower the temp and allow more rendering. Also you could allow patties to come closer to room temp before firing them. Idk?
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  • danv23
    danv23 Posts: 953
    edited August 2017
    I do 40% chuck, 40% brisket flat, 20% boneless short rib (all from costco), all hand trimmed and run through my Cabelas grinder twice by yours truly .  Best blend you'll ever taste.  Took a lot of different meats and grinds to come up with that, and yes I leave fat, but zero hard fat (like the crappy fat you would trim off a packer).  Now, I bet the butcher didn't trim any of the meat he threw into the grinder which explains the 8 grinds they normally do.  

    I would find a new butcher, show him my post, and you'll have what you're looking for.  Good luck!

    The Dude: This is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you's. And, uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder's head. Luckily I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug regimen to keep my mind, you know, limber.

    Walter Sobchak: Nihilists! *uck me. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos. 

    Cumming, GA

    Eggs - XL, L, Small

    Gasser - Weber Summit 6 Burner

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  • JMCXL
    JMCXL Posts: 1,524
    Thanks for the feedback. I will talk to a new butcher and try this again with above mentioned ratios
    Northern New Jersey
     XL - Woo2, AR      L (2) - Woo, PS Woo     MM (2) - Woo       MINI

    Check out https://www.grillingwithpapaj.com for some fun and more Grilling with Papa (incase you haven't gotten enough of me)

    Also, check out my YouTube Page
    https://www.youtube.com/c/grillingwithpapaj

    Follow me on Facebook 
    https://www.facebook.com/GrillingPapaJ/

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    I haven't experimented as much as @danv23 but I keep going back to a brisket/belly mix.

    I remove all the fat I can from brisket, usually the flat.  Judge the fat content based on the amount of inter-muscular fat and estimate bringing it up to 80/20 with either pancetta, uncured belly or bacon.  I just grind once and mix by hand if it looks uneven.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,188
    I have a good meat supplier.  I dont instruct them how to grind it, they do a really good job.  I just handle the cooking part.  I would recommend finding a quality meat source and they know how many grinds to send it through.
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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
    nolaegghead said:
    I haven't experimented as much as @danv23 but I keep going back to a brisket/belly mix.

    I remove all the fat I can from brisket, usually the flat.  Judge the fat content based on the amount of inter-muscular fat and estimate bringing it up to 80/20 with either pancetta, uncured belly or bacon.  I just grind once and mix by hand if it looks uneven.
    There are no bounds to what @nolaegghead can do. Truly impressive. 
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    THEBuckeye said:
    nolaegghead said:
    I haven't experimented as much as @danv23 but I keep going back to a brisket/belly mix.

    I remove all the fat I can from brisket, usually the flat.  Judge the fat content based on the amount of inter-muscular fat and estimate bringing it up to 80/20 with either pancetta, uncured belly or bacon.  I just grind once and mix by hand if it looks uneven.
    There are no bounds to what @nolaegghead can do. Truly impressive. 
    Truth.  For example, I found the cure for insomnia!  I just read your posts.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    nolaegghead said:
    THEBuckeye said:
    nolaegghead said:
    I haven't experimented as much as @danv23 but I keep going back to a brisket/belly mix.

    I remove all the fat I can from brisket, usually the flat.  Judge the fat content based on the amount of inter-muscular fat and estimate bringing it up to 80/20 with either pancetta, uncured belly or bacon.  I just grind once and mix by hand if it looks uneven.
    There are no bounds to what @nolaegghead can do. Truly impressive. 
    Truth.  For example, I found the cure for insomnia!  I just read your posts.
    Brisket in a burger grind makes the best burger I've ever had. 
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • danv23
    danv23 Posts: 953
    JMCXL said:
    Thanks for the feedback. I will talk to a new butcher and try this again with above mentioned ratios
    Let me know how it turns out brother.

    The Dude: This is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you's. And, uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder's head. Luckily I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug regimen to keep my mind, you know, limber.

    Walter Sobchak: Nihilists! *uck me. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos. 

    Cumming, GA

    Eggs - XL, L, Small

    Gasser - Weber Summit 6 Burner

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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,463
    edited August 2017
    I've never heard of eight passes through the grinder, not even for hot dogs or bologna.  
     
    EDIT:  a smoothie, maybe.   :)
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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