thanks!
Bought the Hackenflesh on sale, totally terrible and fell apart on my grill in chunks like 'true ground beef (for something like chili)'. I'm on the French side --- what should I buy/look for in terms of meat for burgers (or even ask a butcher for)?
I usually buy the meat for hamburgers at Migros. I buy the "Léger" packs and I make them at home just adding some salt, garlic and pepper. The taste is very good and as it is "diet" meat it contains almost no fat. Yummy!!
Well what happened? Were they pre-packed? Did you pack them yourselves? What was the percentage of fat added to them? I mean I don't doubt what happened, but either you are saying the kind used for chili, as a reference, or that you intend on using that meat in the future for chili, then, in that case, why care if they hold together or not?
How did you make them?
Bind them together with a raw egg, wrap them in cellophane and leave in the fridge for at least 30 mins. Take them out 10mins before cooking to allow them to come up to room temp.
This should stop them falling apart.
Wherever we are we generally by whole (lean) pieces of meat and put them through the meat grinder ourselves - that way we know what is inside the mince. Okay, it is more expensive but definitely the best sort of mince that money can buy.
BTW - ever tried a camel burger? It was one of the first things that I made over here in Saudi... a bit similar to beef but not as much flavour.
Ideally, you want around 20-25% fat, else it dries out and falls apart.
10-15% is ok if you pan fry.
Oh, and if you grind your own, open it up and let it dry out in the fridge for several days before grinding (same goes for steaks).
Tom
Egg in burgers?
Meatloaf, yes, but NEVER in burgers!
Tom
You don't taste the egg at all, its mixed in with the meat at the beginning and helps bind the meat together, works great, particularly for bbq grills.
Clarify, I wanted to make burgers not chili. Not prepacked, I packed them myself. When on the grill, pieces started to fall off and I know how to pack them, have done this numerous times. The CONSISTENCY of the meat was like something more for tacos or chili, not holding together for a burger. Tried the egg thing and it fell apart too. Was wondering if it was the meat, or me? But had no prob buying ground beef in the states and making burgers on the grill 1-2 times a week.
Jus wondering what kinda meat people use....
In 40+ years of grilling, I've never used egg.
Meat falls apart due to lack of fat, or too much water content, no other reason.
Tom
I agree. The egg does a good job - the Germans also use a beaten egg when making their Frikadellen (or Fleischplanzerl).
Forgot to mention - I throw in a good handful of breadcrumbs too, otherwise the egg is perhaps a bit too much fluid
ah so you can teach and old dog new tricks
try it, it works a treat.
No, as MY burgers NEVER fall apart!
Tom
Now we are REALLY talking MEATLOAF!
Tom
Haha...nice one. I know it sounds a bit skewed but believe me, it's NOT meatloaf
As I said, meat here has a higher water, and lower fat, content compare to the US.
Both are bad for burgers!
By a whole chunk (the bigger, the better), and let it dry in the fridge, unwrapped, for several days.
Add fat to get 20-25%, and grind. You can go leaner (10-15%) for pan fry, but NOT for the grill!
I've been doing this since I was a kid, and now I'm 53, so I'm not a newbee. Hell, even my kids can make good burgers here!
Tom
I agree the meat here seems injected with water? I also hate grissle in my hamburger. Try buying fine ground beef, I use Coop weight watchers.. lol seems to stick together best for me., but alot of water. It also doesn't stink as bad as most when you cook it, some smells so bad when it's cooking I hate to eat it.
Now come on Tom, just tell the gentleman where you get your meat from and what the cut is called? Don't tell me you kill a cow for yourself each time around?
Actually, as that is almost EXACTLY the recipe I do use for meatloaf, it IS!
As far as water content goes, that's due to lack of aging. Again, buy a chunk and let it dry out for a few days. I also do this with slabs of bacon (though then it's weeks and not days)
Tom