HOW TO: Burger blend w/ dry aged pellicle
This burger was incredibly juicy with layers of flavor and was created by blending ground dry aged pellicle with a mix of other fresh beef cuts. You can create the perfect burger with or without dry aged pellicle; the pellicle is just another layer of flavor in the mix. Note: the internal temp of this burger is 128F, the pellicle in the blend made it darker than “normal”
Note: I used my SteakAger Pro 40 to dry age in my own home ((use my code GC5 for a 5% discount on the SteakAger Pro 40, this can’t be combined with other discounts)
WHAT BURGER BLEND DO I TYPICALLY USE
A blend of different cuts will create the perfect balance of fat and depth of flavor. I like to do a mix of different beef cuts along with finely ground dry aged pellicle.
WHAT IS PELLICLE
Pellicle is outer protective dried meat/fat layer that forms as meat is dry aged. A natural part of the dry aging process, the moisture from the meat evaporates and the outer layers of meat form a pellicle; this includes both meat and fat. The pellicle has an almost beef jerky quality to it. The pellicle can be used in stocks, sauces and can be ground up and used to enhance the beefy flavor of your burgers.
1/3 portion pellicle from dry aged ribeye (or other beef cut), finely ground - this ratio of pellicle to fresh meat will give you the great dry aged flavor and the texture will blend in with the rest of your burger blend
NOTE: I dry age beef at home using a SteakAger Pro 40; by dry aging at home I’m able to use all the trimmings in a variety of ways… here I’m using it in this burger blend
NOTE: I’ve heard of folks reconstituting pellicle, while I’ve never found a need to do this since the fresh meat rehydrates the pellicle without any additional steps
Plus a mix of two of the following in equal parts;
Boneless Short Rib
Brisket
Chuck (you could also dry age chuck and grind the whole roast to add to burger blend)
BEST BEEF CUTS FOR BURGERS
Chuck steak (chuck is the most common and has 15% - 20% fat, balanced flavor without a wow factor)
Brisket
Boneless Short Rib (high fat, rich flavor)
Sirloin or Tri-Tip (these are leaner cuts with a lot of flavor, you’ll need to balance with fat from other cut)
Eye Round (typically low fat, moderate flavor)
Skirt and Hanger Steak (low fat, texture is a bit crumbly when ground)
Ox-tail - (incredible flavor and intense high fat content). I used ox-tail only once, the effort to remove from the bone will keep me from ever doing this again. I see why you never see boneless ox tail sold in stores
FAT/MEAT RATIO FOR BURGERS
70% lean meat/30% fat - this will make a juicy, flavorful burger. If you want a leaner burger that’s still juicy, go for an 80% to 20% lean meat to fat ratio
GRINDER PLATE HOLE SIZE SUGGESTIONS
1/8" - Fine grind (typically used in - hamburger, bologna, & hot dogs)
3/16" - Medium grind (typically used in - hamburger, breakfast sausage, & Italian sausage)
1/4" & 5/16" - Coarse grind (typically used in - hamburger salami, summer sausage, & Bratwurst)
NOTE: the grind will make a difference in cooking, if going for a pan seared smash burger style go with a finer grind; the finer the grind the more surface area touches the griddle creating more of a crust. For a pan seared fatter burger patty go for more medium/coarse grind, that will create a less dense burger… the coarser grind will be more fluffy and fall apart as you bite (I mean this in a texturally perfect way!). *no matte what kind of burger, you’ll always do a fine grind on the pellicle
HOW TO GRIND
Cut the beef into ~ 1” wide cubes or strips
Place the beef strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet, put in freezer until it’s very cold NOT frozen
It’s important for the meat/fat to stay cold throughout the grinding process so the fat doesn’t melt and make a mess
Select grinding plate based on your preference
You can grind all the meats at the same time or individually and then mix together when done… whatever works best for you
AFTER ALL THAT, NOW YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF GRINDER TO USE… here’s my experience
I’ve read about folks using a food processor… I’ve never tried this, but thought it was worth a mention here
I used to use my KitchenAid Food Grinder attachment, while it works just fine for fresh meat, it got hot and struggled a bit when grinding pellicle. I probably would have stayed with my KitchenAid attachment, but then I started sausage and needed to grind a lot more volume
I then bought a stand alone meat grinder for like $40; I got what I paid for… it worked and then it didn’t after 3 uses
I now use a LEM Stainless Steel Big Bite Electric Meat Grinder and it’s a workhorse! It grinds quickly with ease
HOW I MAKE THE PERFECT BURGER SHAPE EVERY TIME - I prefer uniformity in presentation in all my cooking; burgers are no different!
I use a scale to weigh each portion, ensuring uniformity
I then use a round cookie/biscuit cutter to measure and shape my burgers… they end up perfect every time
