Burgers...Prime vs Select

Photo Egg

I get why a solid hunk of beef is better when it's a higher grade such as Prime.
But the higher grade is given because of the marbling of fat. Not because the actual beef taste is any better?
So buying ground hamburger that is 80/20 or 75/25 is cheaper to buy than leaner ground meat such as 95/5 or 90/10.
So why pay more for ground beef that claims to be Prime, which just means more fat, over standard 80/20?
Asking for a stupid friend of mine

Eggcelsior

I think it’s due to the fact that the prime grind makes people think “what a deal over a prime steak!”. Yay advertising psychology!

jeffc5227

80/20 for me all the way.

fishlessman

75 lean or 80 lean works for me. ill spend a little more for grass fed but never over 6 bucks a pound

Mickey

I think the prime ground has a better taste. Both in the getting a prime brisket ground or buying the HEB pre-patty's. 
Now that has no proof if what I think has any basis of fact. Just seems to me that way. Besides everyone knows if you pay more for it, it has to be better.

fishlessman

i do like how marketing burger gas changed to 75/25 to 75 lean but woul rather it be called 25% fatty burger

nolaegghead

I'm totally fine with a 90-95% lean burger if it is cooked MR.  There's plenty of fat-control with mayo, cheese, etc accoutrements.   The 75-80% fat rule is pounded into our heads by people that cook burgers to the FDA 160+F recommendations.

Swim against the current, little fish.

fishlessman

nolaegghead said:

I'm totally fine with a 90-95% lean burger if it is cooked MR.  There's plenty of fat-control with mayo, cheese, etc accoutrements.   The 75-80% fat rule is pounded into our heads by people that cook burgers to the FDA 160+F recommendations.

Swim against the current, little fish.

swim against the current, go against the odds.  med/rare bear burgers

nolaegghead

fishlessman said:

nolaegghead said:

I'm totally fine with a 90-95% lean burger if it is cooked MR.  There's plenty of fat-control with mayo, cheese, etc accoutrements.   The 75-80% fat rule is pounded into our heads by people that cook burgers to the FDA 160+F recommendations.

Swim against the current, little fish.

swim against the current, go against the odds.  med/rare bear burgers

That's swimming into a thermal vent of boiling water.  eff that noise.

fishlessman

nolaegghead said:

fishlessman said:

nolaegghead said:

I'm totally fine with a 90-95% lean burger if it is cooked MR.  There's plenty of fat-control with mayo, cheese, etc accoutrements.   The 75-80% fat rule is pounded into our heads by people that cook burgers to the FDA 160+F recommendations.

Swim against the current, little fish.

swim against the current, go against the odds.  med/rare bear burgers

That's swimming into a thermal vent of boiling water.  eff that noise.

still here

AnothaStolenGenrator

Once you go roadkill, you never go back.

littlerascal56

I do use 90/10 fresh ground sirloin when I make a batch of “raw burger” at Christmas!  Good stuff on crackers with beer.

HeavyG

My guess is that the meat that is ground into "prime" ground is from a better, more tender animal/cut to begin with. I'm also guessing that with "prime" ground the fat added to the mix is also from the better class of animal which will add to the flavor.

Photo Egg

HeavyG said:

My guess is that the meat that is ground into "prime" ground is from a better, more tender animal/cut to begin with. I'm also guessing that with "prime" ground the fat added to the mix is also from the better class of animal which will add to the flavor.

That's the marketing idea, for sure.
But is Prime really a better class of cow? Does the actual beef taste better? Is the fat really higher quality or just more of it marbled into the meat we normally see in a steak?
The whole ground prime thing just got me thinking. Not always a good thing!

johnnyp

I don't have an answer based in science, but I do have an opinion based on my personal observations.
  
Aside from quantity of fat, quality of fat matters a great deal.  Well, at least to my palette.  I recently bought a pound of ground wagyu, thinking to myself "It's probably about 70/30, but otherwise whats the difference?".  I ended up being pretty surprised by how much richer the flavor was.

Based on that experience, I speculate that ground prime would have a richer flavor than ground select, even if you add comparable fat content from trimmings.  If you try them both, and disagree, please report back.     

Photo Egg

johnnyp said:

I don't have an answer based in science, but I do have an opinion based on my personal observations.
  
Aside from quantity of fat, quality of fat matters a great deal.  Well, at least to my palette.  I recently bought a pound of ground wagyu, thinking to myself "It's probably about 70/30, but otherwise whats the difference?".  I ended up being pretty surprised by how much richer the flavor was.

Based on that experience, I speculate that ground prime would have a richer flavor than ground select, even if you add comparable fat content from trimmings.  If you try them both, and disagree, please report back.     

I think that's a great observation.
But a cow raised to be Wagyu is a different breed and raised and fed different.
What we buy in the store, not getting into the higher end farms, and graded as choice, select and prime are probably from similar cattle raised in a similar manner. I don't know either. Just posing a question.
Only had American Wagyu once. And I agree, the fat was completely different.
Even raw it almost melts when you touch it. 

TrippleRipple

johnnyp said:

I don't have an answer based in science, but I do have an opinion based on my personal observations.
  
Aside from quantity of fat, quality of fat matters a great deal.  Well, at least to my palette.  I recently bought a pound of ground wagyu, thinking to myself "It's probably about 70/30, but otherwise whats the difference?".  I ended up being pretty surprised by how much richer the flavor was.

Based on that experience, I speculate that ground prime would have a richer flavor than ground select, even if you add comparable fat content from trimmings.  If you try them both, and disagree, please report back.   




HeavyG said:
My guess is that the meat that is ground into "prime" ground is from a better, more tender animal/cut to begin with. I'm also guessing that with "prime" ground the fat added to the mix is also from the better class of animal which will add to the flavor.

Prime and Wagyu are not the same animal, literally. That's not apples to apples. The Wagyu tastes better because it's a better product from the start. 

Prime grading comes from the fat concentration in the rib(eye) section of the carcass. It has nothing to due with a 'tender' rating. Also, I'm unsure one could make any more tender than running it through a commercial meat grinder.

So,...my thought, opinion, two cents, is that it's marketing. Perhaps the beef of from the steak primal trimmings rather than the lesser cuts, but 80/20 ground beef is just that. Grass fed is often preferred, but then, 80/20 grass fed is just that.

90/10 always costs more than 10% more than 80/20, so even if I'm draining the fat after browning, (for meat sauce or tacos, etc.) I just buy 80/20 from my local butcher.

**Disclaimer** I only buy meat from butchers. Never large Super Markets. Excluding Costco for prime briskets.

fishlessman

once dressed up im not sure how much a difference it would be.  to me its about the bunn, a great bulkie roll or portuguese sweet bread depending on what profile im putting on the burger. to note, these big supermarket chains have ruined bunns around here, put out all the real bakeries and or have changed the ovens over to keep competitive.  been decades since ive seen either made in the old ways. if you are going over the top with the burger, you might as well up your game on the bunn and what to top it with