How to Make Your Own Ground Beef from Scratch

Making your own ground beef at home is easier than you think and yields far superior results compared to buying pre-packaged ground beef at the grocery store. With a few simple tools and fresh cuts of beef you can have amazing burgers meatballs, tacos, and more. Here are step-by-step instructions for grinding beef and tips for maximizing flavor and texture.

Why Make Your Own Ground Beef?

There are several advantages to grinding your own beef instead of buying pre-ground beef

• You control the quality and freshness. By selecting high-quality cuts of beef yourself, you know exactly what is going into your ground beef. Grocery store ground beef often contains trimmings and odd bits.

• You control the fat content. Getting the right fat-to-meat ratio is key for juicy, flavorful ground beef. When you grind it yourself, you can customize the ratio.

• Better texture Store-bought ground beef tends to be overly compressed and dense Home ground beef has a looser texture with more air pockets for better cooking results.

• Cost savings. Buying whole cuts of beef and grinding them yourself is often cheaper per pound compared to buying packaged ground beef.

• Safety. With homemade beef you can safely cook burgers to rare or medium-rare without worrying about foodborne illness.

Selecting Beef Cuts for Grinding

The first step is choosing high quality cuts of beef with good marbling to grind. Look for cuts like chuck roast, sirloin, brisket, or short ribs. Avoid overly lean cuts like round. For the best results, choose beef with about 20% to 30% fat content. Too little fat leads to dry, crumbly ground beef.

Cutting the Meat for Grinding

• Cut the meat into 1-2 inch cubes. This makes it easier to grind evenly.
• Trim off any large pieces of fat, sinew, silverskin or membrane.
• Arrange the cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes until partially frozen but not solid. Partially freezing makes the meat firm and easier to grind.

Grinding the Meat

There are several options for grinding the meat:

• Stand mixer grinder attachment – This is the easiest method if you have a KitchenAid or other stand mixer. Attach the meat grinder, fitted with the medium die. Grind the partially frozen cubes by feeding them through the grinder.

• Food processor – Working in batches, pulse the chilled meat cubes in the food processor until they reach the desired texture. Don’t overprocess to a paste.

• Hand chopping – For small batches, you can finely chop the meat with a sharp knife or cleaver. It’s time consuming but low effort.

• Electric meat grinder – Both manual and electric grinders will produce an even, consistent texture. Electric grinders make the process easy.

Run all the meat through the grinder one time, then pass it through a second time for the best texture. Resist overworking the meat which can cause smearing.

Forming Patties

Gently form the ground beef into loosely packed patties. Avoid compressing too tightly which can lead to dense, dry burgers. Make a slight dimple in the center of each patty to prevent bulging as they cook. For even cooking, form all patties to the same thickness.

Chilling and Freezing

For best results, place the formed patties on a parchment lined sheet pan and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This helps them hold their shape better. For longer storage, wrap chilled patties individually and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw frozen patties in the refrigerator before cooking.

Grinding Tips for the Best Results

Follow these tips when grinding your own beef:

• Keep the meat very cold before and during grinding. This prevents smearing or separation.

• Trim off all membranes, tendons and excess fat before grinding.

• Use two grindings – once through a coarse die, then a finer die – for the best texture.

• Mix different cuts of beef for more complexity.

• Add 10-15% pork or beef fat for moistness.

• Grind in small batches for maximum control.

• Work quickly to prevent meat from warming up.

• Handle ground meat gently when forming patties to avoid over-mixing.

• Refrigerate patties before cooking so they hold their shape better.

• Cook burgers to at least 160°F internal temperature for safety.

Seasoning Your Homemade Burgers

For best flavor development, avoid adding seasonings to the raw meat. Salt the patties just before cooking. Then you can sprinkle on other spices and herbs once the burgers are cooked. Try cajun seasoning, steak seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, or Italian herbs to customize your burgers.

Cooking Ground Beef Safely

Always use a digital instant read thermometer to check your burgers have reached a safe minimum internal temperature. Cook ground beef patties to 160°F to destroy any harmful bacteria and prevent foodborne illness. Burgers may be cooked to medium rare (135 – 145°F) only if using freshly ground beef.

Recipes to Use Homemade Ground Beef

Home ground beef can be used in all your favorite recipes requiring ground beef:

• Burgers
• Meatloaf
• Meatballs
• Tacos
• Chili
• Lasagna
• Cottage pie
• Sloppy joes
• Stuffed peppers

You’ll be amazed at how much better your cooking turns out when you start with fresh, homemade ground beef. The superior flavor and texture is worth the small amount of extra effort. Once you grind your own beef, you’ll never go back to buying pre-packaged again.