Why You Should Avoid Buying Store-Bought Ground Beef For Your Burgers

Burger night gets better when you grind your own meat instead of buying hamburger from the store — and it's not just because you, the chef, will get more compliments. Grinding your own meat is about as homemade as you can get, unless you plan to raise and slaughter the cow yourself, and it makes every kind of burger taste better. By taking this extra step, you get to control fat ratios and the types of meat cuts that go into each burger. You can even create a special blend of chuck and sirloin for your own signature burger. Whether you are throwing together a plate of sliders or making hamburgers with Mexican-inspired toppings, grinding your own beef will make your burgers that much better.

Not only can you control the types of meat in your burger by grinding your meat yourself, you control the freshness of the meat and the number of additives in your burger. Ground beef turns brown the longer it is exposed to oxygen, meaning it loses color as it ages. However, in the U.S., it's standard for ground beef sold at the supermarket to be treated with carbon monoxide when packaged, ensuring the meat keeps its bright red hue. Because of this, the hamburger you get from the grocery store could be a lot older than you think, another reason why it's important to pay attention to sell-by dates. Additionally, if you buy preformed ground beef patties, you could be getting meat mixed with binders, extenders, and additives like soy protein isolate.

Grinding your own hamburger meat doesn't have to be an overwhelming process, but you do have to set aside some time for the project. You'll start by selecting the right cuts of beef at your local butcher. Most butchers and meat experts suggest chopping your meat into 1 ½-inch cubes and then chilling those cubes in the fridge for a few hours. Cold meat grinds best, no matter the cut. Then, you'll use one of several methods to grind your meat into the perfect consistency for burgers. Countertop electric meat grinders, like this Cheffano grinder, are the easiest and quickest way to grind your own beef. If you have a stand mixer, you can avoid getting a whole new appliance by simply buying Kitchenaid's meat grinder attachment instead.

After you've chilled your chunks, you just toss them right in and the automatic grinder does the rest. A manual countertop meat grinder like Huanyu's hand crank food mill will also work, so long as you're willing to hand grind your meat. Another way to grind fresh meat is to use a high-powered food processor with blades and a high enough voltage to manage meat. If you grind more than enough meat for burger night, you can freeze your special blend of fresh beef for better burgers the next time around, leaving you with less work later on. Ground beef lasts for up to four months in the freezer, according to the FDA. 

To grind the best blend of beef for hamburgers, you must understand how fat affects your hamburger. A higher fat content means a juicier burger, and you should adjust your fat content depending on how you like your burger cooked. A basic medium-well done hamburger is best when made from ground chuck and sirloin with an 80/20 fat-to-lean ratio. If you like your burgers well done, you'll want to increase the amount of fat in the mix to keep the meat juicy while it's cooking longer.

Sirloin and chuck are two major components in hamburger meat, but these two cuts of beef aren't the only ones used to make mouthwatering burgers. Gordon Ramsay's perfect hamburger meat combo includes ground brisket, short rib, and chuck. You can also grind your own bison or elk meat, or add lamb to the mix for gyro-inspired burgers. While you're mix-and-matching different meats, consider switching up your hamburger bun, too. Some burger bun swaps you should try include a croissant, an English muffin, and even rice paper. Combine a new kind of bun with fresh-ground beef for a burger night you won't soon forget.