With the price of meat/burger lately I put the word out to a few farmer friends and got the opportunity to pick up a young Holstein cow with a busted leg free. Long story short its all ground and packed/froze but my buddy that ground it told me it is nearly fat free. He said to buy some cheap fatty burger at the store and mix in at 10%. I'd like to get a little more creative and try some ground slab bacon. I can get it cheaper than fatty burger and I have a grinder. What say you guys. Any other ideas.
I'd keep some the way it is for spaghetti, taco meat, chili, basically anything other than burgers themselves. Being beef,I bet it's no leaner than 90% which isn't all that lean imo. Venison is 97 or more % lean...that's when a lil fat can help. Now the bacon idea intrigues me for sure! I'd definitely try that!
I used to add a little fat to ground venison and elk but the last few years haven't even bothered. If you're worried about the burgers not holding together very good...don't. That's what the melted cheese on top is for.
Same for moose I quit adding beef &/or pork fat to moose burger several years ago. We kinda like lean meat. Some olive oil in the skillet with burger patties , good to go.
He told me hes sure its 95% or better lean and no way the burgers will hold together. The cow came off an organic farm . Most of it will be sketti and such but i wanna get some slab bacon ground up and maybe freeze in 3-4 oz patties to mix with 1.5lb packs. I'm gonna try an egg and some stuffing mix too. Skys the limit.
JW. I think the burgers will be fine as is, but if you think I'm gonna argue with you about adding bacon...ain't gonna happen. That would be awesome! I also like your egg and stuffing mix idea. Basically preparing a meatloaf but making burgers instead. Again...
An egg and some bread crumbs make a good binder for burgers. I do this even when they don't need any help holding together. Mix with pork (bacon, sausage, ground pork) if you like your burgers well done (I don't). You can usually buy a big tub of beef lard in the Mexican food section at the grocery store. Add a Tbs of that +/- per patty??
Fat has flavor. A lean burger is dry and unless rare, less flavor. Not wise to cook ground meat rare. You can make the fattiest ground beef fat free, just rinse it in water to dispel the fat after cooking. I haven't tried it yet, but am thinking of mixing ground pork shoulder to ground round steak when its on sale. Lean beef with flavorful pork.
