There are specific cuts of beef that work best for certain recipes. For instance, one underrated cut for braising is beef neck. But the perfect cut of beef for a hearty stew is a chuck steak. Different cuts of meat offer different textures and flavors. The cuts offer varying amounts of fat and connective tissue based on where they come from the animal. But what cut of beef should you purchase to make the perfect burger?
To answer the question, you couldn’t turn to a better fast food restaurant chain than Shake Shack, which has long advertised its delicious burgers with high-quality ingredients. John Karangis, executive chef and vice president of culinary innovation at Shake Shack, tells Chowhound exclusively that the best homemade burgers are made with freshly ground 100% all-natural Angus beef.
But that’s not all. “If using pre-ground, ensure it is fresh,” says Karangis. “And I like to have my ground beef be made of all muscle with an 80-20 blend of meat-to-fat ratio.” From there, he recommends making sure the beef is well seasoned and pressing the burger patty onto a hot pan for a crisp crust and a caramelized flavor. All these steps help you avoid the most common burger mistakes.
Preparing your beef for better burgers
Shake Shack’s John Karangis says the company has its suppliers grind their beef to their exact specifications. However, you can emulate the chain restaurant’s process with your own grinder at home. Karangis has two pro tips to ensure you get the best results from grinding. First, make sure the beef is cut into small enough pieces to properly fit into the grinder. That’s usually 1 to 2 inches, depending on the size of the tube on your grinder body. Having it cut small makes it easier and more efficient to grind and helps cut down on fat smearing, which is essentially when the fat softens and spreads unevenly, causing the whole thing to kind of smush rather than grind and the fat to leak out too quickly when cooking, leading to a dry burger.
Another way to prevent smearing is to freeze the meat before grinding. “I like to place my beef in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes before grinding,” he says. “This will allow the meat to grind without any ‘melting’ caused by the friction in the grinding apparatus.”
Once your burger is prepared, you can get to work on the toppings. You can keep things basic with classic toppings — lettuce, tomato, and onion. Or, you can give your burger a Southwest kick by topping it with a chipotle aioli and grilled peppers. Shake Shack’s menu offers more inspiration, like burgers with applewood-smoked bacon and avocado. You can even top your next burger with a slice of cheese that’s also perfect for grilling, such as halloumi. There are so many delicious options, you could have burgers three nights per week for a year without having the same thing twice.
