I have never been able to make a decent hamburger from scratch! I need help!?

Question

What's the best beef to fat ratio and what sort of ground meat should I use? Just beef or a mixture and what do I mix into it if anything? My hamburgers are tasteless and dry. A friend of mine told me to buy ground beef with a fair amount of fat, but I find them a little too greasy. Do you think I should use ribeye and have that ground up for a burger?

Answer 1

I've heard different arguments as to the best meat combo for grinding your own.

Based upon reading different websites and books, the consensus seems to be a 50/50 mixture of chuck and sirloin. The reason for the chuck/sirloin mixture is chuck has a lot of flavor since it's a working muscle, but since it's a working muscle it's a bit touch and lean. Sirloin is more tender and tends to have a little more fat content.

Ribeye is expensive, but should work too.

Fat content is up to you, but I'd shoot for 10 to 15%, maybe closer to 10%. Also, from the supermarket, you can buy 15% and mix in some leaner 6% ground beef.

Also, if you grind your own, you can cook the burger to a medium instead of well done. Overcooking will dry out a buger too.

Edit... I don't know about the suggestions of mixing in poultry, eggs and mixes. It becomes more like a meatloaf then a burger.

Answer 2

You're thinking way too much about the burger. It's easy when you mess something up once to overthink it. Get 85% lean ground serloin. Using ribeye is first a waste of money and second will be very fatty (don't get me wrong I love a good ribeye). If you want to guarantee moisture without making your burger too "meatloafy" by adding eggs and such add some sauteed finely diced peppers and onion you have seasoned with salt and pepper. This is the most basic recipe, but you can add jalepenos, other seasonings and herbs. Form into patties and let them sit on the counter for about 15 minutes. Then right before you are about to cook them season with salt and pepper liberally. Not before salt extracts liquid. Put them in a pan that's already hot and has a little olive oil. You are looking about a medium heat. Let them sear salt and pepper side down for about 5 - 7 minutes. The bottom should get a nice crisp. Don't touch the burger, don't press the burger just leave it. Once you see the meat has turned brown on the outside about 2/3 the way up the bottom should be nice and brown, then flip. Let it cook abouther 4 - 5 minutes. It really depends on the thickness of the burger. Again leave the meat alone. Then let it cool for about 5 minutes before you eat it.

Answer 3

I use the following ingredients -

1/2 kilo minced beef
1 onion chopped finely
1 teaspoon ofcumin
1/2 a cup of breadcrumbs
1 egg
salt and pepper
1/2 cup of parsley
2 tablespoons of olive oil

First I fry the onion a little, then add to the minced beef, then put the parsley into a food mixer with the bread crumbs, mix together with all the other ingredients and then shape into burgers. I find that the egg and the little oil from the onions bind the burgers together fine.

Answer 4

Hi there one thing I do to make my hamburgers is to buy lean meat just a little bit more as it does shrink down a bit more cause there is less fat. I also mix my hamburger half and half with ground pork for extra flavour. I also add one egg, some bread crumbs, and a dollop of crushed garlic into it and then mix it up and make up my burgers. Give it a try its pretty good!

Answer 5

what you could do is add seasoning to your burger while you are cooking it. some ground beef are lean and they don't give off a lot of fat. however, if you are cooking any kind of burger and see a lot of grease, you can take out some of the greasiness by sliding the meat to one side of the skillet and take some paper towels and put it in the skillet on top of the grease. yes this does work. the paper towel will absorb the grease and you can throw it away. once you finish cooking the meat let it drain on some paper towels for a few minutes and your burger will be good.

Answer 6

Do you like onions? If so, mix the ground beef with Lipton Onion soup mix and that makes my burgers yummy!

Another option, mix the beef with 1 egg, seasoned breadcrumbs, and garlic powder. This mixture helps the patty from falling apart. Make into patties and grill.

Good Luck!

Answer 7

RIbeye will taste great but will taste more like steak than hamburger.

I usually use something that is 10% fat and they are ok. I do find that higher fat content makes for a tastier hamburger though.

Answer 8

I just buy the hamburger meat that is on sale. I put a little salt pepper and an egg. When I make the balls of meat I put a little cube of butter. Then I form the hamburgers and cook them on low heat.

Answer 9

Well I use a combination of ground chuck,ground pork and ground turkey, equal amounts of each. I heard a chef say that chuck is the best choice for hambugers. The combo of meats produces an outstanding flavor! Add in some minced garlic, minced onion,salt/pepper, worsh sauce, egg, about half cup of milk or chicken stalk, I also use instant potato flakes instead of bread crumbs, you can also add in a bit of grated raw carrot. Then just remember not to overmix. Try it! <3

Answer 10

Have you tried mixing your ground beef with some thousand island/Russian dressing? My dad use to do this when he made hamburgers and it made the burgers moist and tasty...