best meat to grind for burgers

I've ground my own burgers for years and prefer leaner meat for most of my cooking. I'm not so much in love with a particular cut as I am getting the best meat at a good price. I like sirloin, many of the roasts you see in the case, and some of the round. I usually don't like bottom round if it is really of a coarse texture.

I look for meat with good color and texture, and the amount of fat I want, or sometimes with fat that can be taken off if there is too much. I'm looking at both the fat outside the muscle, which is easy to get rid of, and IN the meat itself. I almost never buy chuck.

Look at the hamburger in the case and note how much fat is in it. It will scare you when you start to grind your own. Look at it as it comes out, fry up a baby burger and sample, and see how you want to adjust the fat content. I cut in in long strips across the grain and feed into the grinder on my KitchenAid Mixer.

There is no reason for hamburger not to taste like the best steak.

If you ever find brisket for a good price, that would be my choice. Otherwise, chuck. But I like a good juicy burger. If you want leaner, go with sirloin or round. Take a hint from your grocer. If you get 80/20, it's often ground chuck, 90/10 is often sirloin, 95/5 and leaner is usually ground round (I think I got that right).

The ribeye thing just seems like a waste to me...for that price, I'd want steak.

I make a mean chili with a hunk of brisket...half cubed, the other half coarsely ground.

Let us know what you think of the KA grinder...lots of folks here like it. I've been using my food processor, which can be difficult to get a consistent grind...it's fine for chili, but I sometimes get chunks in my burgers. Haven't pulled the trigger on the KA attachment or a stand-alone grinder just yet.

We've used the KitchenAid grinder attachment for years now and love it. It doesn't make a REAL coarse grind, but I'm another one who will cut up some meat and use ground as well in chili.

We buy at least 10 pounds of meat at a time, grind it up, bag it in 1 and 2 pound packs, and freeze it. It doesn't take very long and is SOOOOO handy to have in the freezer.

Now I'm thinking about mixing some of it 50/50 with ground turkey the next time for spaghetti sauce, lean chili and such.

WOW!! What an interesting thread. I have just been reading and getting great ideas. I have a KA grinder that I have rarely used. Looks like it is time to break it out.

I agree. I buy burgers from a steak house. Honestly I don't know if the steaks they use area choice or prime but they are rated as the BEST in my area (local not a chain). The burgers are the ends and fat left over after they cut the steaks. Pure melt in your mouth burger nirvana.

My new favorite is flat iron steaks. Just the right amount of fat to lean flavorful beef.