Posted on by Mark Linton

You Can Grind Your Own

<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41345-2003Dec30.html" title="You Can Grind Your Own (washingtonpost.com)">You Can Grind Your Own</a>: &ldquo;One way for a consumer to keep some control over the content of hamburger meat is to buy a preferred cut, either organic or traditional, and grind the beef at home. In so doing, you can choose a cut that is not near a bone or the spinal cord and you can ensure that your grinding equipment is not contaminated with those parts of another animal. Also, not incidentally, you can make a delicious burger with just a small investment in a meat grinder and about 10 minutes time to grind a few pounds of meat.

The Cut

&ldquo;To grind beef at home, start with the right cut. The best ground beef and, at this point, the one that might be safest, is typically made from a boneless cut, preferably a relatively high-fat cut such as chuck steak. (The fat lends juiciness to the burger.) The intensely flavorful but somewhat leaner sirloin steak, or a combination of chuck and sirloin, may also be used. 



&ldquo;If available, select choice-grade beef, which tends to contain more marbled fat and, hence, more moisture.

The Grind

&ldquo;Once you select a cut of beef, you can grind it at home (see below) or you can ask the staff at a local meat counter to grind it for you. (Some stores may not indulge this request, especially during exceptionally heavy shopping hours or late at night after the equipment has been cleaned.) 



&ldquo;To grind a cut of beef at home, there are several options. For the most consistent and best results, use a grinder. An inexpensive old-fashioned meat grinder or chopper can be clamped to the edge of a counter and hand-cranked (typically from about $30). A meat-grinding attachment may be purchased for a standing mixer (from about $65). And there are dozens of free-standing countertop grinders available in all shapes and sizes and prices. If using a grinder, grind the meat twice. 



&ldquo;A food processor fitted with a steel blade may also be used to &lsquo;grind&rsquo; beef, although it will result in a slightly mushier, less coarse consistency. Process the meat in small batches, pulsing briefly (1 to 2 seconds) just until the desired consistency is attained; do not overprocess. 



&ldquo;Before grinding, cut the beef into chunks or thick strips and freeze partially (about 25 minutes) to prevent the beef from becoming too warm and mushy during grinding.&rdquo;