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The hamburger may seem like one of grilling's most straightforward meals. But there's more than meets the eye to this humble patty of ground beef and spices. Not all burger meat is created equal, and your choice can make a significant difference in the flavors once your perfectly grilled patty lands between the buns.
The secret to a great burger is great beef. So let's take a closer look at how to pick the best beef for burgers on the grill.
What Makes A Beef Good For Burgers?
There are a few factors to consider when selecting your burger beef. Most importantly is fat content. Pre-ground ground beef packages indicate its beef to fat percentage, typically between 70/30 and 90/10. More fat means a juicier and more flavorful burger, but also one that's less healthy than leaner mixes. Experiment to find the right blend for your taste and cooking method. For example, burgers cooked in a pan may require less fat than ones cooked on wood pellet grills where fat “cooks off”. It's crucial not to go too lean, which can result in a dry, crumbly burger.
Different cuts can also impart different flavors to your burgers, from intensely beefy to smoky, grassy, and more. Typically, you'll find the best quality with freshly ground beef, but excellent results are achievable even with the prepackaged version at your regular grocery store.
The Best Beef For Burgers
So, what types of beef should you keep an eye out for the next time you're at the butcher? From the grillmasters at Brisk It Grills, here are our top picks.
Chuck
Ground chuck is among the most popular burger cuts and makes up a good deal of prepackaged ground beef. This cut comes from the shoulder of the cow, providing a flavorful mix of muscle and fat. It's often found as an 80/20 mix, which makes it among the best beef for juicy burgers. This is also one of the best beef for smash burgers.
Sirloin
Ground sirloin represents some of the higher-end ground beef and provides a rich, beefy flavor to your burgers. It'll typically cost more than other types of meat and is less commonly found pre-ground. It's fairly lean as beef cuts go, meaning you may benefit from adding some additional fat to keep your burgers juicy.
Round
Round is a somewhat polarizing cut to use for ground beef. While many enjoy its flavor, others find it too lean and dry. This can present a problem if you're buying pre-ground beef without the chance to add additional fat. Still, it remains a popular choice.
Blends and Exotic Burgers
While most burgers fall under the above groups, there are plenty of more unusual or exotic cuts of beef used for burgers, either on their own or as part of a blend. Brisket is a popular choice, with the cut providing a buttery or smoky flavor to burgers. If you’re preparing burgers on a smoker, brisket would be a great choice!
Wondering what the best beef combo for burgers is? While we don’t like to be biased, mixing in short rib with any ground beef can add to the richness of your burgers, and fatty bacon will impart smokiness and a subtle porkiness when used in moderation. Experienced burger pros can mix and match to create the perfect blend unique to their grill.
Best Beef for Thin Burgers
If you prefer your burgers to be a little on the thin side, you can use any of the above-mentioned types of beef. Just be sure when you’re molding your patties to make them thinner. This is a popular method for creating famous “fast-food” style burgers, which usually feature a thin patty.
The Best Way To Cook Your Burgers: Wood Pellet Grills with Smart Grill Technology
There are many ways to cook a burger, from a pan on the stovetop to a gas or charcoal grill. But the top choice is clear to anyone who's used it: the pellet smoker and grill from Brisk It Grills. Burgers made on a Brisk It pellet grill are cooked at a precise temperature with smart grill technology providing control over your cook. Plus, you'll enjoy the incredible smoky flavor provided by the wood pellets of your choice. Try out some of our delicious pellet grill recipes today. For more information about Brisk It Grills and how to prepare burgers on a pellet grill, contact our team online.
FAQs
Chuck is the most commonly used cut of beef in burger blends. Marbled throughout and well-balanced in flavor with a decent lean-to-fat ratio, chuck steak is generally the primary cut used in burger blends and is supplemented with one or two other cuts of meat.
What is the best beef for hamburgers? ›
Chuck is the most commonly used cut of beef in burger blends. Marbled throughout and well-balanced in flavor with a decent lean-to-fat ratio, chuck steak is generally the primary cut used in burger blends and is supplemented with one or two other cuts of meat.
Is wagyu beef good for burgers? ›
Wagyu beef originates from Japan and is considered by many the best beef on the planet. When it comes to burgers, there's beef, and then there's Wagyu. Get ready to sizzle up your beef knowledge with Ribs & Burger's latest culinary deep dive.
What is the best fat ground beef for burgers? ›
To make the juiciest, most flavorful burgers, choose ground beef that is 70 percent lean and 30 percent fat. To make more healthful burgers—but ones that are still pretty juicy and tasty—choose ground beef that is 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat.
What kind of beef is in McDonald's hamburgers? ›
Every one of our McDonald's burgers is made with 100% pure beef and cooked and prepared with salt, pepper and nothing else—no fillers, no additives, no preservatives. We use the trimmings of cuts like the chuck, round and sirloin for our burgers, which are ground and formed into our hamburger patties.
Is Angus or chuck better for burgers? ›
Chuck is your classic burger meat and is usually the most flavorful, simply because it has the most fat.
Do you mix egg with ground beef for burgers? ›
Instructions for How to Make Ground Beef Patties for burgers: In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, 1 egg, and a generous amount of salt and pepper to season (half tsp each). Egg is a burger binding agent for the ground beef patty. Divide the well mixed beef into four equal round balls and form into patties.
What kind of meat does Burger King use for their burgers? ›
100% Beef Patties
Each of our signature hamburger patties is made using only 100% beef. All patties are grilled on a proprietary broiler developed for BURGER KING® restaurants, then cooked over real flames. The grilling process last between 2 and 3 minutes, depending on size and thickness of the burger patty.
What kind of hamburger meat does Wendy's use? ›
Square beef patties make it easy to know you're enjoying the very best hamburger for your buck: fresh, never frozen and made from 100% real beef. Our signature square hamburger patties have no fillers or additives, because we know the beef is what matters when it comes to making the best hamburger in the game.
Which is better for burger Angus or Wagyu? ›
For this reason, wagyu is often served as small steaks or strips because of the rich marbling, while Angus makes great larger steaks and burgers.
It really depends on what you're looking for in a steak! If you're looking for something luxurious with incredibly rich flavor then Wagyu beef is the way to go. If you're looking for something with a strong beef flavor, then Angus beef is the way to go.
Is Arby's burger real Wagyu beef? ›
They publicly stated that their new "Wagyu Burger" is in fact a mixture of 52% "American Wagyu" and 48% Angus Beef. If you read our blog and or follow us on social media we've spoken at length about American Wagyu being (at best) a 50-50 cross between Wagyu and (typically) Angus beef.
What beef makes the best burgers? ›
Ground chuck is among the most popular burger cuts and makes up a good deal of prepackaged ground beef. This cut comes from the shoulder of the cow, providing a flavorful mix of muscle and fat. It's often found as an 80/20 mix, which makes it among the best beef for juicy burgers.
What is the best tasting ground beef? ›
80/20: Ground Chuck
It's the highest lean-to-fat ratio in the specialty grinds and tends to be quite tender and juicy. Ground chuck is from the shoulder of the cow. It is rich and tender with plenty of flavor. Often referred to as “lean ground beef,” this is perfect for hamburgers and meatballs.
Is 90/10 ground beef good for burgers? ›
It's labeled 90/10 and is a more expensive cut of beef than round or chuck. It has a full beefy flavor but is too lean for hamburgers. Chef Hunter adds, "90/10 is perfect for making spaghetti sauce, taco meat, and other concoctions when sauce and seasonings are in the mix.
What is 80/20 ground beef good for? ›
Burgers. You're looking for beef with a pretty high fat content, but nothing too extreme. So for burgers, go 80/20 beef. While picking up a package with this marked on it is fine, if you can get the butcher to grind the beef for you, that's even better.
Is 80/20 ground beef the same as ground chuck? ›
Ground chuck is made from the chuck primal, the shoulder area of the animal. It is preferred by many for its rich, beefy flavor and higher fat content. Most ground chuck is frequently listed as 80/20, meaning 80% lean meat and 20% fat.
What is the best blend for smash burgers? ›
Smashed burgers should have a higher percentage of fat in the meat as mentioned above. Accordingly, we have settled on using a fatty blend of short-rib brisket and sirloin for our burgers.
