Hamburger Seasoning Mix

1 tab. sweet basil-dried
1 tab. dried tarragon
1 teasp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary

Crush & mix well together. Store away. Use about 1 tablespoon to 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef to make Hamburger patties.

Note: I like to grind my seasoning.

Sounds interesting, Lizgirl.

If you also grind your own meat, a good trick is to cut the meat into small pieces, then spread the seasoning over those. Then grind the meat. This assures even distribution of the herbs & spices throughout the ground meat.

An old sausage maker taught me that trick, and it can really make a difference. Not only do you get even distribution, but you avoid overworking the meat, which can happen when you mix flavorings into already ground meat.

kY, I was thinking of getting an old meat grinder and start grinding my own meat. Is there anything more to it other than just putting the meat in and grinding it? I mean, do you have to add fat to some cuts, etc.?

Hi Jafo,

I know you addressed your question to KYH, I hope you don't mind me sharing my experience of using my meat grinder. I had a meat grinder attachment for my old Oster Kitchen Center. I used it the most for grinding venison for sausage, and in answer to your quetion I had to see the butcher and buy scarps of pork fat to add to the lean venison. As KYH stated I would sprinkle my seasonings onto my meat before grinding, so the seasonings were evenly distributed evenly throughout.

I also used it an awful lot after the holidays for grinding leftover Ham and Turkey to use for Ham or Turkey salad spreads for sandwiches and crackers. I truly loved my grinder.

I occassionally ground fresh beef for such uses as lean ground beef for various dishes (chili, chopped beef steak patties, etc.). I really always felt the meat to be really much more lean that store bought! So I assume you would have to add fat for some cuts of meat that you would want to grind, I added mine at cooking time! I will let KYH answer your questions in regard to those matters as I am only speaking on the way I used mine and I am positive KYH can give you much more detailed explainations on grinding and the technicalities involved.

I did have access to lots of fresh beef as we used to raise our own cows and have them butchered, but I honestly had almost all my ground beef pre-packed from the butcher shop. With the price of meat these days, you may save a few dollars and have a better tasting quality meat if you could for instance buy some inexspensive large cuts and grind them yourself!

Hope this helps a little, CCCathy

Jafo,

I had gotten my electric grinder primarily for making sausages. But found all sorts of uses for it. And it's much more efficient, I've found, than hand machines---which are what I grew up using. But either one does the job.

Anyway, you will, on rare occasion, have to add fat to the meat you are grinding. It really depends on what your main meat is, and the end purpose. As Cathy notes, venison (all game, in fact) benefits from the addition of some beef or pork fat. Most beef really doesn't (unless you're going with top cuts, such as sirloin for hamburgers).

I do not, btw, stock up on ground meat. For me it makes more sense to keep the big cuts in the freezer, and grind them as needed. But we don't do a lot of meatloafs and burgers, per se. So stocking ground meat doesn't make a lot of sense for us, because it wouldn't get used up fast enough.

Now then, as to physical grinding, there are several things to consider.

1. It's better to have the meats cold than not. I have no idea why this is so, but, pragmatically, it's true. Cold meats just grind better.

2. Your initial instinct will be to use the small plate. Don't do it! The small plate makes meat almost paste like; which is alright for forcemeat, but not for burgers, sausage, and the like. Use the medium plate. And don't double grind. In some cases, the large plate actually makes the most sense---try it for chili, for instance. But by and large it's a specialty tool, rarely used.

3. Trim away the connective tissue. Again, you'll initially think this isn't necessary because it all get ground up. But that's not true. Much of it will not grind, and merely clogs the machine. And the connective tissue can add off flavors to the meat.

4. Cut the meat into chuncks just big enough to fit in the hopper. Season the chunks as evenly as possible. Then grind the meat.