Grinding your own meat (mainly for burgers)
Discussion
As I get sucked further and further into Big Green Egg cooking and reading more and more bbq books, I'm now thinking this BBQ season I need to step up my burger game. I don't have room for a machine with the attachments, but I'm thinking I can certainly get one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/KitchenCraft-Home-Mincer-...
My question is, when I go to the butcher, what I am asking for exactly to make my burgers. A lot of the time it's only me and Mrs UTH so I'd say I only need to make 4 at most. I'm guessing that with 2 or 3 different cuts of meat in a burger, I don't actually need much at all of each one? I assume I can get small amounts of each?
I guess I'm trying to avoid walking out with kilos of meat to make a small number of burgers!
My question is, when I go to the butcher, what I am asking for exactly to make my burgers. A lot of the time it's only me and Mrs UTH so I'd say I only need to make 4 at most. I'm guessing that with 2 or 3 different cuts of meat in a burger, I don't actually need much at all of each one? I assume I can get small amounts of each?
I guess I'm trying to avoid walking out with kilos of meat to make a small number of burgers!
Chuck and brisket tend to be the favourites for DIY burgers but anything you buy will normally just be random trimmings and commercial burgers will probably have an element of organ meat, heart is always a favourite with cheapo burgers (but it still tastes good!)
You'll be lucky to get a butcher to cut and sell you small bits of brisket but you should be able to get 1/2 kilo of chuck easy enough.
Don't be tempted to go all "gourmet", I can assure you burgers made from fillet with added fat dont work. Nor do burgers made from ribeye or sirloin. Tried it all.
Best mix I found was 20% onglet, 20% fat cap off a set of ribs and the rest chuck/braising. And not minced too fine.
Only time I bother now is in the summer when I make up about 15-20 and chuck them in the freezer.
You'll be lucky to get a butcher to cut and sell you small bits of brisket but you should be able to get 1/2 kilo of chuck easy enough.
Don't be tempted to go all "gourmet", I can assure you burgers made from fillet with added fat dont work. Nor do burgers made from ribeye or sirloin. Tried it all.
Best mix I found was 20% onglet, 20% fat cap off a set of ribs and the rest chuck/braising. And not minced too fine.
Only time I bother now is in the summer when I make up about 15-20 and chuck them in the freezer.
Lots of ways to do this - have a read of the Nigella recipe for burgers made with minced sirloin (I can't find it online - well it's not on page 1 of a google search anyway).
The key to that recipe is to salt the meat with Maldon salt and leave it overnight before then mincing it.
Heston did a TV show on this too, using at least 2 different cuts.
Personally, my favourite is to use supermarket ribeye (Butcher ribeye will be better, but more expensive). I buy about 1.2Kg of ribeye in one piece and then carefully dissect it to remove all the sinew and other nasty bits. You really need a single piece to do this efficiently. Use a sharp, flexible and thin bladed knife, cut along the natural seams in the meat. You then end up with 3 things - pure fat, fatty meat from the cap and nice tender meat from the eye. I cut these into strips and salt them as per the Nigella recipe, and then mince them the next day. The fat and the fatty meat get minced twice with the fine blade, and the tender meat gets minced once with the coarse blade. Then use a burger press (about £2 from Amazon) to make your burgers.
Mincers like the one you've shown and the plastic equivalents are a long way from perfect and they do tend to clog up - one reason why you need to remove all of the sinew and other nasty bits.
The key to that recipe is to salt the meat with Maldon salt and leave it overnight before then mincing it.
Heston did a TV show on this too, using at least 2 different cuts.
Personally, my favourite is to use supermarket ribeye (Butcher ribeye will be better, but more expensive). I buy about 1.2Kg of ribeye in one piece and then carefully dissect it to remove all the sinew and other nasty bits. You really need a single piece to do this efficiently. Use a sharp, flexible and thin bladed knife, cut along the natural seams in the meat. You then end up with 3 things - pure fat, fatty meat from the cap and nice tender meat from the eye. I cut these into strips and salt them as per the Nigella recipe, and then mince them the next day. The fat and the fatty meat get minced twice with the fine blade, and the tender meat gets minced once with the coarse blade. Then use a burger press (about £2 from Amazon) to make your burgers.
Mincers like the one you've shown and the plastic equivalents are a long way from perfect and they do tend to clog up - one reason why you need to remove all of the sinew and other nasty bits.
Also - I meant to post this on your other thread - get yourself a Joetisserie - I'm 99% sure that it fits the BGE.
I use mine direct over the coals, which I prefer, but I gather you're supposed to put the ceramic plates in. The way I do it is to keep the vents pretty low and whatever you do, don't use anything like the egg genius or you'll end up with flare ups and burnt meat. You need to keep the airflow low and the temp to around 150C
The two best things to rotisserie cook are whole chicken and loin of pork. The fat from the pork drips onto the coals and gives the joint the most amazing flavour, which is why I stick with doing it direct and using the vents to control flare ups. This method also produces perfect crackling - every single time. No need for boiling water or any other tricks, just nice neat cuts and a little bit of Maldon salt between each strip. I tell my Butcher to leave the joint totally alone - no scoring and no chining. Also, no need for rubs or anything like that, just meat, fire and salt.
I use mine direct over the coals, which I prefer, but I gather you're supposed to put the ceramic plates in. The way I do it is to keep the vents pretty low and whatever you do, don't use anything like the egg genius or you'll end up with flare ups and burnt meat. You need to keep the airflow low and the temp to around 150C
The two best things to rotisserie cook are whole chicken and loin of pork. The fat from the pork drips onto the coals and gives the joint the most amazing flavour, which is why I stick with doing it direct and using the vents to control flare ups. This method also produces perfect crackling - every single time. No need for boiling water or any other tricks, just nice neat cuts and a little bit of Maldon salt between each strip. I tell my Butcher to leave the joint totally alone - no scoring and no chining. Also, no need for rubs or anything like that, just meat, fire and salt.
Thanks all.......I think I might put the idea of grinding my own meat on hold.....sounds like that Amazon piece of kit will frustrate me more than anything!
And thanks for the tip, the rotisserie is definitely on my radar, and that one you suggest looks the same as the Egg one for half the price!
And thanks for the tip, the rotisserie is definitely on my radar, and that one you suggest looks the same as the Egg one for half the price!
ferret50 said:
I inherited a mincer just like what the OP linked to!
Used it twice and binned it.
Mince now comes from the butcher and burgers from the supermarket, although I expect that one could make a 'better burger'.
I have one too, but with inherited instructions. Used it twice and binned it.
Mince now comes from the butcher and burgers from the supermarket, although I expect that one could make a 'better burger'.
You can't put it in the dishwasher. It needs to be thoroughly washed by hand, dried, and oiled before storing.
'Clean' it before use by running a few slices of bread through it to remove the oil residues from storage, and any rust which may have formed.
You may also need to scour Fleabay for different grinding discs. The ones which come with the kit grind a fine paste, whereas you want one with bigger holes for burger mince.
I get my local butcher to grind specific cuts for me. I tend to go brisket, but if it's on the lean side we add in some pork fat. I tend to aim for a 15% fat ratio with brisket burgers and 20% for chuck. I make a batch and freeze, then season just before cooking. Salt and pepper only, if I have the offset going I'll smoke them prior to grilling. Smoked brisket burgers are a winner.
Edited by AndyTR on Friday 31st January 16:17
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