Buying the Best Hamburger

Lesson

The origin of the hamburger is the subject of much debate. One story traces the hamburger’s roots to a disk that originated in Boston in 1874–the “Filet de boeuf à la Hambourgeoise.” Other stories claim that the hamburger was created by:

• Fletcher Davis, the owner of a small Texas café
• Louis’ Lunch, a small restaurant in New Haven, CT
• Two brothers at the Buffalo Fair in Hamburg, NY
• The Lookout Restaurant in Cincinnati, OH
• Chefs in Hamburg, Germany

And about a zillion others. Plus, we’re not even talking about those claiming a first for putting a beef patty on a bun or bread. That’s an even longer list.

No matter.

What does matter is that the hamburger is now one of America’s most popular meals.

Face it–hamburgers are easy to cook, easy to eat, great-tasting, and something you find just about anywhere on the planet. And they are about as perfect a food as you can get for a tailgate party on a chilly fall or winter gameday.

But not all hamburger meat is the same. Here are some tips that will help you get the best possible product, and results.

First, it is highly recommended that you buy ground beef with between 15–20% fat content. Any more fat and you’re cooking grease burgers, any less fat and the meat tends to fall apart on the grill– not a good result unless you’re using the beef in chili.

If you can, buy burger meat the day you plan on cooking it. Buy meat in clear packages, so you can see there is red, with an equal amount of white (fat) marbling throughout the meat. If you aren’t cooking it that day, it’s suggested that you use it, or freeze it, within 48 hours. And if you do freeze the meat, try forming into patties, separating them with butcher paper, plastic wrap, or wax paper, then freezing as ready-made burgers.

Only thaw ground beef in the refrigerator. Other methods risk warming the outside of the burger, while the center remains frozen. This will attract bacteria.

Labels to watch for in your supermarket

• Ground Hamburger – Ground meat from less tender or popular cuts of beef. It often contains scraps cut from steaks, roasts, ribs, or chuck. This meat cannot contain more than 30% fat, although fat can be added by the butcher when it’s made.
• Ground Beef – Very similar to ground hamburger, although no fat can be added here, and the % of fat allowable is the same.
• Specialty Ground Beef – The label tells it all. If it says ground chuck, round or sirloin, these are the only cuts that can be in the package. This variety is usually more expensive than the hamburger grinds listed above. Ground sirloin has 8–10% fat, ground round has 10–15% fat, and ground chuck has 20–25% fat.
• Lean & Extra Lean Ground Beef – Both grinds are similar to ground beef and neither can contain more than 15% fat.

Ground round, ground chuck, or ground sirloin are the most popular meats for great burgers. The meat should be browned evenly on the outside with a light brown or barely pink center, and a USDA-recommended internal temperature of 160°F. However, many experts agree medium-rare is the perfect doneness for burgers.

Many folks today are actually grinding their own burger meat. If you have a food processor, or an old-fashioned meat grinder (the kind with a crank that you turn manually), you can proudly make custom burgers. But when using the processor, it’s important to pulse the food rather than just turn it on; otherwise you’ll get a pasty mush; 9–12 pulses are usually perfect to give you a nice coarse grind.

As above, pick meat that has a fat content over 10% but less than 20% for the best results. Cut it into 1–2 inch pieces, chill for 30 minutes, then grind. Voilà, perfect homemade burger meat.

You can also add different meats to further customize your burger. If you have beef with less than 10% fat, you can add a small amount of ground pork to bring up the fat level. Or if the meat has a higher fat content than you want, add some ground turkey or lamb to reduce the percentage of fat.

And then there are turkey burgers, soy burgers, veggie burgers, lamb burgers, pork burgers, emu and ostrich burgers, chicken burgers, salmon burgers, lentil burgers, tuna burgers, wild mushroom burgers, ham burgers, and ground bacon and pork burgers. To name just a few non-beef burgers.

Now you’re almost ready to start grilling! Check out our hamburger recipes!

According to the USDA, and most State and Local Health Departments:
All foods that you cook, prepare, and serve outdoors must follow two rules: You must keep hot food at least at 140°F at all times. Conversely, you must keep all cold food at 40°F or colder at all times. Food must not be left at room temperature for more than 30 minutes, maximum. Any food left between 41°F and 140°F for more than 4 hours is not safe to eat. More information on food safety can be found here.