Please help...my burgers are tasteless

[Noel]

Not the buns or condiments...but the beef itself. It is quality beef, fresh ground, 20% fat. I use a charcoal grill or sometimes pan fry in a cast iron pan on high heat.

Do you folks out there add anything to your beef?

Or do you leave it alone, pretty much, maybe S &P only?

My burgers do not taste like they do at a GOOD burger joint.

Thanks

[BackerBunch]

DutchmenSport wrote:
A good burger begins with good meat. Donot buy from Wall Mart. Go to a local mom and pop grocery store that still dresses their own meat from local farmers. The quality is world's apart from big chain stores. Then cook with only saltand pepper. We Americans have forgotten what real local grown beef taste like. Go local. How will not be disappointed.

X10 more. We found a farm down the road from us we buy our beef and pork from. The cattle graze in open paddocks and fed hay when the weather dictates. They are antibiotic free (when it’s needed they separate the ones that get it from the ones who don’t and sell them to the grocery stores), hormone free with no added nitrates or nitrites. The meat tastes amazing and every piece we’ve ever bought has been tender.

[Tizi]

1 package of lipton onion soup mixed per pound of hamburger. Sometimes we add and egg, bacon, and A1 steak sauce. Excellent.

[SWMO]

fla-gypsy wrote:
Just because you use 80/20 beef means nothing. Different cuts of beef have different flavors. The problem is not the seasoning, it's the beef!

Absolutely! You first have to ignore the fact that Walmart other big chains use pink slime, they don't. They along with other chains use meat ground from meat destined to be hamburger. The only real questionable meat is from the big chubs, you won't ever get a decent burger from meat jammed into a tube.
If you buy from a market that has a loose ground burger, preferably with a little pork in it, and it is 80/20 you're 75% of the way there.
Never pack a patty, shape it. Don't make it too thin. Make a small indention with your thumb in the center. Flip it once and don't overcook. It must be a little loose and be packed to just hold together.
As far as flavor goes,good burger doesn't have to have anything else. The flavor is in the fat and if its its there. Softened onions and or peppers are good as are a lot spice mixes from lemon pepper on. I'm partial to Webers Deluxe hamburger spice.
We buy what is know as Boston Burger here which is 80/20 beef and pork. we have to buy it from one location that grinds its own, others have introduced a pre-packaged that sucks.

[rockhillmanor]

DutchmenSport wrote:
A good burger begins with good meat. Do not buy from Wall Mart. Go to a local mom and pop grocery store that still dresses their own meat from local farmers. The quality is world's apart from big chain stores. Then cook with only saltand pepper. We Americans have forgotten what real local grown beef taste like. Go local. How will not be disappointed.

X10

Remember the expose of pink slime in all of Walmarts hamburger and other stores?

Well...it's due soon to be back in your meat again!

The maker of the beef product dubbed "pink slime" by critics is reopening a plant that it shut in the face of bad publicity two years ago.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/08/13/news/companies/pink-slime/index.html

[DutchmenSport]

A good burger begins with good meat. Donot buy from Wall Mart. Go to a local mom and pop grocery store that still dresses their own meat from local farmers. The quality is world's apart from big chain stores. Then cook with only saltand pepper. We Americans have forgotten what real local grown beef taste like. Go local. How will not be disappointed.

[Rustycamperpant]

I crush up some "DARE" vegatable flavored crackers, chop up a yellow onion and add Worchester Sauce. Once I form the pattys I spinkle Lawrlys seasoned salt when they are on the gas grill. Tastes great if I say so myself. 🙂

[E_mc2]

Mix some Santa Maria rub in the meat before you form the patties and you won't be disappointed.

[camperpaul]

My secret is in the processing of the beef ...

Stun, bleed, gut, skin and hang for two weeks at 40°F.

Then grind with mix of 73% lean and 27% fat.

Do not cook past "medium rare".

Your mouth will love you forever.

[msredneck84]

rexlion wrote:

Golden_HVAC wrote:
...
I like to sprinkle some Lawyers season salt on the hamburgers, chicken or whatever I am frying. Sometimes I use garlic salt.
....
Fred.

I think you mean Lawry's seasoned salt? We use that quite often too.

X3 on the Lawry's. My Mother used this and so I continue the tradition. Lawry's is great for steaks also, sprinkle some on green salad, yum, yum!

[rexlion]

Golden_HVAC wrote:
...
I like to sprinkle some Lawyers season salt on the hamburgers, chicken or whatever I am frying. Sometimes I use garlic salt.
....
Fred.

I think you mean Lawry's seasoned salt? We use that quite often too.

[Us_out_West]

fla-gypsy wrote:
Just because you use 80/20 beef means nothing. Different cuts of beef have different flavors. The problem is not the seasoning, it's the beef!

X-2

It's all about how the 'beef' is processed.

[AH64ID]

jfkmk wrote:
20%fat is a pretty fatty burger. Fat makes it taste good, but I don't want my burger to kill me. We use 93% lean beef

Since elk burger has no fat in it we have a little beef fat mixed in so that it will cook and form burgers. Last batch had about 7% beef fat mixed in, and after some fat sticks to the grinder its 94-95% lean.

I think the lower fat burgers, beef or elk, cook and taste better. Fat is good, but like salt too much happens very quickly.

[fla-gypsy]

Just because you use 80/20 beef means nothing. Different cuts of beef have different flavors. The problem is not the seasoning, it's the beef!

[mockturtle]

Worcestershire Sauce worked into the beef before shaping the patties does make a nice difference. I also sometimes use Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning, again, worked into the meat.

[robsouth]

Another vote for Cavender's greek seasoning. Great stuff. I use it on nearly every type of meat and have for years. Oh, and cook the burgers on the grill with the lid open if you like grilled burgers. Close the lid and you are baking them and might as well use the oven. I like Kingsford charcoal with the hickory wood already in it.