Although summer is not officially here yet, many of us have already fired up the grill on a few occasions.
(Of course some dedicated individuals continue to grill all year round.)
Hamburgers are always a favorite for many, but there are still countless people that purchase frozen pre-made burgers instead of making them from scratch. Therefore, it is my quest to give you some great ideas for perfecting the homemade burger patty.
This will be a three-part series of columns. This first installment will focus on meat selection, the second column will focus on ingredients to add to the hamburger mix, and the last focus will be on burger toppings and bread selection.
There are several accounts for where the name "hamburger" is derived, but the most common seems to be from Hamburg, Germany; where people often had what was called a "Hamburg Steak." It consisted of shredded beef mixed with onions and different spices. Many people today will rely on the burger toppings, rather than the patty itself, to create a flavorful burger. I myself like to focus on the patty first and then accentuate with toppings. It is much easier to compliment something if it already tastes good on its own.
Let's start with the selection of meats to use. There are many burgers made with ingredients other than beef, such as chicken, turkey, salmon and even veggie burgers, but I will stick to the traditional focus of beef for the purpose of this column. Instead of settling for simple ground beef at your supermarket, head off to your local butcher instead. There you will find a number of choices such as ground sirloin and ground chuck, as well as a couple grades of ground beef.
Lean ground beef is the most common choice for consumers because it seems to represent the best value. It typically has no more than 17 per cent fat, but because of this fat content, the finished burger has more flavor and moisture than extra-lean ground beef.
Extra-lean ground beef has no more than 10 per cent fat content. This not only makes it a leaner choice, but a healthier one as well. Nutritionists will tell you that if you enjoy eating burgers, then extra-lean ground beef in moderation is a great way to help reduce saturated animal fats.
Ground sirloin is exactly what the name states. Regular, lean and extralean ground beef comes from a variety of different cuts of beef, but ground sirloin is only derived from the primal loin and sub-primal sirloin areas of the cow. Ground chuck, I feel, is the best option. It is from the shoulder area of the cow and has a much better balance of meat and fat, as well as more richness of beef flavor than any other option.
At around 20 per cent, it has more fat than lean ground beef, but it is important to remember that when it comes to your palate, not your waistline, fat is your friend as it offers more flavor and juiciness. Because of its meaty flavor, ground chuck is also a popular choice for meatballs. To create even more complex, unique flavor try mixing ground chuck with ground pork at a 50/50 ratio.
Chef Dez is a Food Columnist, Culinary Instructor & Cooking Show Performer. Visit him at www.chefdez.
