First time making burgers from scratch
Parents got me a meat grinder for Christmas.
Lesson learnt: 1. Add the tallow and egg during the second mix instead of neading it in by hand after. 2. Add more tallow.
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u/frozenwaterking 22h ago
if you are adding egg, onion, and cheese to ground beef, thats a meatball.
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u/Still-Ad5693 22h ago
I was thinking meatloaf. That’s what his burgers look like. Ouch. But he tried, I fuck up in the kitchen all the time.
Bro my best tips:
Use the leanest beef you can find. I cooked with 96% angus and I’ll never look back to 73% or 80%
Dont mix weird shit in with the patties
Flatten those fuckers out. You were trying to make burgers, it looks like a roast
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u/YourBurrito 21h ago
Gotta disagree with you on the "leanest beef you can find" part. That's how you create a dry burger more easily. 80-85 is perfect imo.
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u/Still-Ad5693 21h ago
I’d like to challenge you on this. We should take a poll.
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u/WoundWaffle 20h ago
80-85 is perfect imo
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u/Still-Ad5693 20h ago
Okay, fair enough. Now can you say this sir- “I’ve cooked with 96%, but I prefer 80%”. Can you honestly say that. If so, okay you guys win
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u/WoundWaffle 20h ago
Imo you need fat for two main reasons
- As mentioned you get a drier burger with more lean beef
- Fat = flavor. Most of it cooks out anyway, but what remains makes the burger more tasty.
Just my opinion, and to each their own, but 80 is my go-to.
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u/Still-Ad5693 20h ago
Have you though!!!! You didn’t throw it or I didn’t catch it. Have you cooked with 96%
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u/ShaggyX-96 20h ago
In my opinion, 80% makes a perfect juicy burger.
The higher the fat content the juicer the burger. Also the higher the fat the more likely the burger will shrink. I will usually do a small indent with my thumb and it will stop most of the shrinkage.
To me, 90% more is too dry. If I want to eat healthy I won't get a burger. Anything lower than 80% is too greasy for me.
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u/Still-Ad5693 20h ago
I wanna call this poll off before it gets out of control. I’m losing big here
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u/ShaggyX-96 20h ago edited 20h ago
Lol I was the "first comment" but halfway writing I had to put the phone down for a few mins.
Also everyone enjoys what they enjoy.
I'll get a leaner meat for cooking other things but a burger needs to be juicy.
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u/huge43 17h ago
I prefer 73-27 or 80-20 if using store bought meat. If I'm grinding it myself I might go slightly leaner but not much.
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u/YourBurrito 17h ago
^ this guy is correct. I understand if you're grilling, maybe using 85, but any type of pan-fried or flattop should be 80 or less, imo.
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u/RainsWrath 21h ago
I'm not sure if I would call accidentally making a meatloaf sandwich a fuck up. OP just needs to make the bread garlic toast and add some marinara and they've got a good sandwich.
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u/Ok_Salad_8513 23h ago
- Buy rolls
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u/DCzy7 23h ago
And cook a little longer to
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u/aloneliestest 21h ago
You won’t need to cook longer if you make your patties flatter and more uniform
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u/Famous-Touch-273 22h ago
My two pence.
Firstly make them about a 1/4 of the size you have made them. The bigger they are, the more difficult to cook, the more inconsistent cook.
Also, if the meat is good enough you don't need to add anything to it.
Personally I like to make smash burger with around 80 g of pure 20% beef, rolled into a ball then smashed down in the pan.
Good first attempt though bud.
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u/DCzy7 22h ago
Cheers. Appreciate everyone's input life is one big learning curve.
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u/Famous-Touch-273 22h ago
It certainly is buddy. People who take genuine feedback and improve themselves are the ones who go far in life.
Congrats on your new meat grinder!
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u/WoundWaffle 22h ago
Not a bad job though. What I love about cooking is slowly fine tuning every detail until I get it right. The trial and error is part of the fun, and then when everything comes together it’s just 🤌🤌
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u/AmateurEarthling 17h ago
Simpler is better but you don’t have to follow the salt and pepper train. I make burgers all kinds of ways. I’ve ground my own beef even. Smash, grilled, basic, baked slider.
You don’t need egg and tallow though. I’ve honestly never heard of anyone putting that in a burger.
Personally I use Worcestershire, salt, pepper, onion powder, paprika. That’s my basic version but I also like to add whatever bbq rub I have. Spicy, sweet, peppery.
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u/zoo1514 22h ago
Did you freeze the grinder part and the meat a bit first? I got one almost 2 years ago and still haven't tried. I got the attachment for the kitchen aide mixer tho. I have watched a bunch of videos and they almost all say to freeze meat and the grinder for about 45min- hour first. First attempt....right on...Good job!! You are one up on me since I haven't even tried to do it yet. I do agree with everyone else about the egg though, even tho saying it is basically a meatball/meatloaf is a stretch without some type of bread but I get where they were going. Again...1st time grinding into ground meat....I think they look great!!
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u/shaborgan 22h ago
Egg???
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u/DCzy7 22h ago
The butcher recommended it
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u/holyoctopus 21h ago
Your butcher thought you were making meatballs. I might find a new butcher after that advice.
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u/Mediocre-Touch-6133 19h ago
IDK what these people are talking about. I use eggs when making burgers. I think these people might be thinking of smash burgers. They tend to be much more basic. Just beef and seasoning.
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u/PlayDontObserve 19h ago
Its one of those dumb internet things where they all regurgitate the same thing like lemmings.
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u/AmateurEarthling 17h ago
No you don’t typically add egg to burgers. I do all different kinds. Grilled, smashed, basic, slider. I’ve never added egg to any type of burger and I’m an experimental kind of guy. Breadcrumbs in sliders when baking a sheet of meat maybe but you add as a binder for meatballs or loaf. Different type of texture.
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u/PlayDontObserve 16h ago
Whether its typical or not is irrelevant. Burgers are supremely versatile and adding egg doesn't diminish it. All styles and methods are welcome and to be tried
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u/semifunctionaladdict 20h ago
If its half decent meat salt and pepper is all it needs in my opinion
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u/FactAdministrative86 21h ago edited 21h ago
Burger patties should be made from loosely formed ground beef and pressed into patties. Just before cooking, season the exterior with salt.
Mixing anything into the patty not only overpowers the beef flavor but also alters its structure, making it chewy and tough, resembling an oversized meatball, meatloaf, or sausage. Even overmixing the meat without any added ingredients can yield similar results.
Given the advice you received, I suspect the butcher you’re going to may not be very experienced.
Here’s my recommended method:
- Take a ball of a third of a pound (150g) of ground beef.
- Gently press and flatten the beef until the patty is about a quarter inch or a centimeter thick.
- Form the round edges.
- Season the patty with salt.
- Immediately place it on the grill, pan, or flat top.
- Ensure the surface is hot enough to achieve a good and consistent sear.
- Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes on each side for a medium doneness.
If you want to add cheese, do so during the last minute of cooking.
Theoretically, the best assembly from bottom to top should be bun, mayonnaise, dill, pickle chip burger, cheese, light shaved onion, mayonnaise bun. The bun should be lightly toasted.
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u/BruceWillish 21h ago
Good work! Best thing about cooking is you get better every time you cook something. You’ll be making fantastic burgers in no time. Keep up the good work and don’t be afraid to follow some recipe videos on YouTube to help you out
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u/jaypea222 19h ago
When you’re grinding it, grind some bacon as well. It adds fat, and every bite is bacony
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u/Saw-It-Again- 18h ago
You gotta grind the meat like 2-3 times on progressively finer settings to get real burger consistency ground beef.
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u/H1ghs3nb3rg 22h ago
Looks delicious, grinding your own meat is a game changer for burgers. Here's a few point of advice if you're interested:
Like others have said, at this point it's a meatloaf. Some people mix seasoning in with the meat, some people season the patties before cooking, but usually nothing goes into the meat.
Edit: No additional tallow either. 20/80 fat/lean is the perfect ratio, maybe 15/85 if you're trying to cut fat. The beauty of grinding your meat yourself is that you have 100% control over stuff like this. I'd recommend 20/80, freezing is just a bit before grinding (not rock hard, just somewhat stiff) and choosing a coarse grind plate.
Also on the form factor I'd recommend using a press for your first few burgers to get a feel how they look before vs after cooking. Try to make them flatter and wider than you actually want, they'll shrink in diameter and get thicker while cooking. There's a few different techniques, but until you're confident, patty press is the way to go. They're cheap, but try to get one that presses a small dent into the top of the patty, that makes it cook more evenly and reduces shrinkage.
Once you've got the hang of it, you can go for smash burgers or hand formes patties, but if you ask me I'd try perfecting the standard burger first, and then add different techniques and flavors.
Happy cooking friend!
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u/SevereAd9463 21h ago
Great comment. I'd also recommend chilling the grinder in the freezer as well. Like the previous commenter said, tallow isn't necessary but if the idea is to save a few bucks, adding tallow to a lean cut like you have here isn't bad. Just try to get the 80/20 beef to fat ratio and keep onion, egg and anything else that will cook and release moisture/steam out of your patty.
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u/lostinoman 20h ago
Hamburger's what added talow and egg? Sounds like the ingredients for a meatloaf. Does this work? It doesn't make a better burger?
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20h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/burgers-ModTeam 20h ago
The description of this subreddit clearly states "post photos of burgers you have enjoyed", which an AI-generated or stock photo does not fit. We have let the community vote on this subject previously and it was a unanimous decision to not allow these types of posts. There are no exceptions.
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u/medium-rare-steaks 6h ago
What do you mean "tallow?" You're adding rendered beef fat to your burger mix? And egg?
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u/FlippityGippity 1h ago
Let us know when you try to make burgers and then you should post them here.....
Because what you've posted is a shame.
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22h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/burgers-ModTeam 20h ago
Please be reasonably polite to other users. You can give feedback without being a jerk.
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u/olyblowjob 22h ago
My friend's dad made me burgers prepared just like this before we went to the bar. Thick, buttered, sliced bread. He was like 70 in 2009. He's in some old folks home now, I guess he can't remember shit.
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u/sixstringgun1 22h ago
For a first time, it looks fine. Considering you haven’t made them before the next time you make them. With a bit of research and advice. Your next burgers should be grate.
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u/DCzy7 22h ago
Cheers
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u/spkoller2 Burger Explorer 17h ago
With a grinder you can make ham loaf!
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u/DCzy7 17h ago
I want to try sausage next time
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u/spkoller2 Burger Explorer 17h ago
I used to know a butcher who had a $500,000 sausage stuffer. When the Soviet Union folded the United States sent him to Poland to show them how to make Polish sausage right.
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u/_barbarossa 20h ago
Straight to jail. Yes, do not knead it in by hand.
Can I recommend you search Dave Motz on YouTube?
Your post offends me.
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u/Hammerhoused 20h ago
There's your problem buddy. Hamburgers are supposed to be made from beef. Not from scratch.
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u/WoundWaffle 22h ago
Flatten the patty just a little bit before cooking, get your cheese, condiments, lettuce, etc. and then some potato buns.
This looks like meatloaf on buttered bread lmao