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Burgers/Meatloaf--Cook-Off 10


Chris Amirault

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And I'll take 'em in a cast iron skillet any day!

Yup. That method usually gives a nice texture on the outside too.

Okay, on the meatloaf front, here's the big debate... red sauce or brown? :laugh:

Gravy please. Everything can be made better with gravy. Even meatloaf. :biggrin:

but then there's creole sauce. They serve meatloaf with Creole sauce at Threadgills, here is the link to their meatloaf and their creole sauce recipe. The creole sauce is how I make it, and the critical issue with this recipe is the file' powder. I honestly don't think I'd bother making it without it. The meatloaf is good on it's own though, and once I was out of bacon and used chopped up panchetta on top and man it went over the top. good stuff.

I made the best hamburgers ever last week, nothing but chuck steak sauce and s&p. I think the cooking technique is key to good burgers. I don't care what you put in them for flavor..hell truffles couldn't save an overcooked hamburger.

Edited by highchef (log)
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I am going to make hamburgers!

I am also first the first time going to grind them myself, so my first couple questions are what kind of beef to use and what is the best way to grind them?

I have both a food processor and a meat grinder.

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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All right folks. Peanut Butter Burgers. God given juiciness!

It was a lovely day to grill here. The temp in the backyard at 6:00 p.m. was still a little over 30C. Yes, I know it says 36C, but it was in the sun, so take off 5 or 6 degrees.

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First you gotta get all the ingredients in the bowl. Salt, pepper, garlic powder, peanut butter, butter and some chopped shallots, ground sirloin or lean ground beef.

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Mix it up really really well:

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Form into patties and chill those suckers for at least two hours. More is always better.

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When it's time to grill, pre heat the grill for 10 minutes or so on high. Meanwhile, assemble condiments:

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One of these buns will be grilled, one won't. Old Cheddar cheese slices

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Any self respecting Grill Momma needs somethin to sip on while she's slavin' away over a hot grill:

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You don't have to, but I usually brush with a little bit of BBQ sauce. You don't need much

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Grill on med high heat. Turn after about 4 minutes. Note they are holding together nicely.

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I like my hamburg buns grilled, Ryan does not.

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Load em up with your favourite toppings, serve with some potato salad. In this case a mustard dill pickle potato salad

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There's no way I can get a picture to do justice to the juiciness of these babies. But then again, Ryan ate two, so they can't be all bad. :biggrin:

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Oh did I mention I actually grilled these my own self? I'm starting to scare me. :biggrin:

  • Like 1

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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All right folks.  Peanut Butter Burgers.  God given juiciness! 

It was a lovely day to grill here.  The temp in the backyard at 6:00 p.m. was still a little over 30C.  Yes, I know it says 36C, but it was in the sun, so take off 5 or 6 degrees.

:biggrin:

What is this in real temperature? I know nothing of these numbers which you refer to.

There should be an international standard that we can all use. :wink:

I am making some fabulous burgers, from beef, the way that God intended, for a suprise (don't tell her) party for the lovely Mrs. Mayhaw, which will be occuring Saturday night in my big wreck of a house. 60 people, with kids (you bring em, you watch em). It should be fun. I am thinking that since I have already lost my mind, I might grind several kinds of beef and see what the variations are like. No buns though. I have no oven to put a bun into to.

Also, for your voyeuristic pleasure, I am going to make a meatloaf on the Weber. It's a pretty interesting process.

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

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What is this in real temperature? I know nothing of these numbers which you refer to.

There should be an international standard that we can all use. :wink:

30 C is 86 F. (I'm bilingual.)

You are absolutely right. There should be an international standard! When will the US be joining the rest of the world? :biggrin:

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I am going to make hamburgers!

I am also first the first time going to grind them myself, so my first couple questions are what kind of beef to use and what is the best way to grind them?

I have both a food processor and a meat grinder.

Kristin, I was extremely happy with the chuck roast I got from Whole Paycheck last week. (I may be wrong, but I believe that the most recent recommendation for chuck that I've heard came from Alton Brown, who also said that ten pulses in the food processor ground the meat to the perfect texture.) I ground about 3 pounds with about 3/4 of a pound of fat for that 80/20 ratio, using my KitchenAid grinder, and added only some herbs and spices before forming the patties very gently.

Which brings us to another major philosophical issue. I'm very big on the gentle patty molding; I can see that Marlene is at the other end of the flesh manipulation range. What say y'all? Do you tenderly tuck the meat together, or do you mash the meat mercilessly??

Chris Amirault

eG Ethics Signatory

Sir Luscious got gator belts and patty melts

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There's a reason for that Chris. With the Peanut burgers you have to mold them firmly because there isn't a lot of binding to hold them otherwise. Mold firmly and chill, otherwise, they fall apart.

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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Makes sense. Still and all, I certainly know people who are firm about the need for a firm hand when making burgers. Of course, terrines are regularly ground fine and weighted. Just trying to find even more ways for people to disagree! :wink:

Chris Amirault

eG Ethics Signatory

Sir Luscious got gator belts and patty melts

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Ah, now when I make beer burgers, I don't mash them together so much. :smile:

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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I am going to make hamburgers!

I am also first the first time going to grind them myself, so my first couple questions are what kind of beef to use and what is the best way to grind them?

I have both a food processor and a meat grinder.

Kristin, I was extremely happy with the chuck roast I got from Whole Paycheck last week.

You don't by chance know how to say chuck roast in Japanese....? :hmmm:

I guess it is time to sit down and learn my cow parts, anyone know a good site?

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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These sound good to me. turkey burgers with double smoked bacon.

We dont eat red meat( but yes, we do eat bacon) so I think I'll go with those.

I'll be using a mix of dark and white turkey. Check my blog for pictures of the turkey farm in my area.

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You don't by chance know how to say chuck roast in Japanese....? :hmmm:

I guess it is time to sit down and learn my cow parts, anyone know a good site?

Type "beef cuts" into Google and you will get lots of sites. The chuck is the shoulder.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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I am going to make hamburgers!

I am also first the first time going to grind them myself, so my first couple questions are what kind of beef to use and what is the best way to grind them?

I have both a food processor and a meat grinder.

Kristin, I was extremely happy with the chuck roast I got from Whole Paycheck last week.

You don't by chance know how to say chuck roast in Japanese....? :hmmm:

I guess it is time to sit down and learn my cow parts, anyone know a good site?

There are quite a few sites with explanations of beef cuts but this one is pretty complete, with pictures of the cuts and explanations for each.

--------------

Bob Bowen

aka Huevos del Toro

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Surely I'm not the only person who grilled burgers this fine evening....

Alas, I have no photos to prove it. However, I do have confirmation that room temperature ground beef is utterly entropic, collapsing shortly after being placed onto a hot grill into shapeless clods of meat.

Those two sentences have a reverse causal relationship, btw.

Chris Amirault

eG Ethics Signatory

Sir Luscious got gator belts and patty melts

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Alas, I have no photos to prove it. However, I do have confirmation that room temperature ground beef is utterly entropic, collapsing shortly after being placed onto a hot grill into shapeless clods of meat.

I don't think I've ever thought about this. I usually grill them right out of the fridge.

So, sounds like you have to grill burgers again fairly soon so you can post some photos! As soon as it quits raining, burgers are on our menu.

I'm still pondering meat loaf and will probably be asking a mess of questions.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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Well chilled is a key to good grilled burgers. Room temp just doesn't work. Next time we want photos Chris. :biggrin:

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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:shock: brother-in-law and sister-in-law coming down for dinner before the iron maiden concert. burgers, hot dogs, macaroni salad, german potato salad, saurerkraut with beer, etc.

80/20 beef, garlic powder, salt and white pepper, "cattleman's sauce".

john enjoyed the burger which was medium. grilled but then had to "better cook"(cook to grey and brown) the burgers for the bil and sil. they don't eat any meat that is pink/red.

AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH :shock:

ok in interest of family harmony i will cook that meat till it gives up all it's juices and is dryer than a witches tit.... :angry: then they didn't eat it all... :shock:

luckily i can mash the meat up and add some stock and give it to the princess alia

though i did find some ground lamb in the freezer so next weekend i think it will be modified suvir's lamb burgers with tsziki and pita... will have to see.

since it is getting hot up here i may defer the meatloaf challange till the fall when it is a bit cooler and i use the loaf primarily for sandwiches during the hawkwatch season for john - i heat it up at work with taters and veg for my dinners :smile:

Edited by suzilightning (log)

Nothing is better than frying in lard.

Nothing.  Do not quote me on this.

 

Linda Ellerbee

Take Big Bites

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You don't by chance know how to say chuck roast in Japanese....? :hmmm:

This link might be helpful:

http://www.junglecity.com/enjoy/food_english/meat.htm

The US Export Meat Federation has a chart that, while useless from a translation perspective, could be shown to your butcher to indicate what you want:

http://www.americanmeat.jp/database/parts_b.html

Here's one more for good measure:

http://www.geocities.jp/wallabiesroom/cook3.htm

Basically, you are looking for a "kata roosu."

Edited by sanrensho (log)
Baker of "impaired" cakes...
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I'm aghast: did no one make burgers this weekend?!?

We just had hamburgers so recently, we weren't in the mood again yet. Plus it was stormy most of the weekend...

But tonight might be the night for the meatloaf recipe I've been wanting to try for ages!

Life is short; eat the cheese course first.

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I'm aghast: did no one make burgers this weekend?!?

rest assured.

I'm having one of my worst work-weeks ever (and it's only monday.. :angry: ) and I've decided that Marlene's peanutbutterburgers will be just the thing to cheer me up this evening.

So more burgers are coming...

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