Grinding burger. Add fat or no fat?

[grundy53]

I'm going to be grinding up my elk burger soon. Do you personally add fat or not? I'm leaning towards not, mainly to keep it healthy. What say you?

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[Woodchuck]

I do not. If I want to make patties with it later I just cut in some beef.

[Mike450r]

I don't add anything to mine either.  Keep it healthy and keep it elk meat is my opinion.

[92xj]

I just ground up 60 pounds of elk.  I added 30% Boston Butt to 25 pounds strictly for grilled hamburgers.  I left the other not mixed for everything else.  If we run out of Hamburger mix, I will do another batch with added pork, which will happen.  We both love the good old grilled hamburger.

[tjthebest]

I dont. Never had any problems with my patties and them staying together. I also like to be able to use it for healthy tacos/spaghetti/chili, etc..

 If you do have problems, ive heard that adding an egg and some breadcrumbs will help.

[toyman2]

I did, I talked with the local butcher and she got me all set up. I believe I am about 10%, our elk/deer burger produces the same amount of fat as locker beef.
She did say that if the burger didn't hold together to add an egg.

[NRA4LIFE]

I do both.  I grind half of it with nothing added for chili, taco meat, etc.  The other half gets mixed with some cheap beef hamburger after grinding.  (Meat mixer comes in real handy here).  I'll mix about 4-5 lbs of the beef burger to 20 -25 lbs of venison or elk.  It then is only about 3-4% fat.  This mix is then used primarily for burgers.  What we did a few weeks ago was pre-form the burgers, then half freeze them on a cookie sheet.  Then vacuum seal 2 to a pack.  That is working very nicely for us.

[Rainier10]

We really clean our meat well and so we need a little added to it because it is so lean.  We generally add pork fat, 1 pound for every 10 pounds of elk or deer.

[bearhunter99]

We really clean our meat well and so we need a little added to it because it is so lean.  We generally add pork fat, 1 pound for every 10 pounds of elk or deer.

Ours is extremely lean too.  We keep some without anything added for burger dishes.  The rest we grind with 10% bacon ends and pieces, because bacon makes everything better!  With the actual meat in the bacon we end up at 3-5% fat from what we could figure out.

[JDHasty]

We do chili ground meat - this is for chili, tacos or things that use ground meat as part of a recipe.  We all like the texture better than finely ground meat.  There is o fat added. 

We do Italian sausage and add pork fat to it - this is for meatballs, hamburgers (we use this instead of plain ground meat for burgers because that is how everybody in the family likes hamburgers) and spaghetti sauce and for hamburger soup.

I used to have Stewarts grind five pounds of their bacon and  mix it with 20 lbs of ground venison for hamburgers.  Haven't done that in a while, it made one heck of a tasty bacon burger.  I'm going to have to do that again soon.     

[biggfish]

I only add pork fat for sausage making usually just ground bacon ends. I use bread crumbs and egg for burger patties.

[Rainier10]

We really clean our meat well and so we need a little added to it because it is so lean.  We generally add pork fat, 1 pound for every 10 pounds of elk or deer.

Ours is extremely lean too.  We keep some without anything added for burger dishes.  The rest we grind with 10% bacon ends and pieces, because bacon makes everything better!  With the actual meat in the bacon we end up at 3-5% fat from what we could figure out.

One year we couldn't get the pork fat and we used bacon ends instead.  It was good, everything is better with bacon. 

[lokidog]

We do not add anything.  No problems with burger staying together.   

[WSU]

I don't add anything.  We only use it for burger dishes like tacos, spaghetti, and anything else that uses ground meat.  We use beef, which we have way more than we need from our own beef, for hamburgers. 

After years of using only game in burger dishes, I have found I really don't like the way beef tastes in those dishes any more. 

[D-Rock425]

Try some both ways see what you like better.

[jjaba]

For deer I've always do the math meat to fat ratio to not be more that 5% and has worked.  But i was in the Midwest also where you could go into the grocery store and buy beef fat by the pound....

[jackmaster]

We really clean our meat well and so we need a little added to it because it is so lean.  We generally add pork fat, 1 pound for every 10 pounds of elk or deer.

Ours is extremely lean too.  We keep some without anything added for burger dishes.  The rest we grind with 10% bacon ends and pieces, because bacon makes everything better!  With the actual meat in the bacon we end up at 3-5% fat from what we could figure out.

[Curly]

No fat.  You can always add some fatty beef burger later if you feel you need fat added for a particular meal.  But I don't like the added fat myself.  Deer and elk is a fairly healthy red meat; I can't really see a good reason to go and make it less healthy.

[Curly]

I don't add anything.  We only use it for burger dishes like tacos, spaghetti, and anything else that uses ground meat.  We use beef, which we have way more than we need from our own beef, for hamburgers. 

After years of using only game in burger dishes, I have found I really don't like the way beef tastes in those dishes any more.

 

[kentrek]

We've done beef, bacon, & pork shoulder

Pork shoulder usually gets the green light.  Not sure what exact ratio of fat is but 15ish % pork shoulder might be 8ish % fat ?? Nothing scientific

Bacons good if you use good bacon...i got some cheep ends last year and I can't stand it

Beef is thought to last longer in the freezer

So it's a toss up...but i know of 1000+ pounds of burger ground this year that used pork shpulder with pretty happy heathy people eating it 

[MtnMuley]

I always add 10% beef suet to my elk burger.  I've done it without, yet prefer everything about adding the 10%.  Also, If I'm making burger patties, I will use 15% bacon ends and pieces.  Unbeatable on a pellet grill.

[Karl Blanchard]

Like others I do three different types of ground meat.  Bacon burger, sausage which has pork added, and then straight ground burger.  It's all good, regardless of method.

[lokidog]

When we used to add something, we would add one part pork shoulder to four parts venison, I do this for sausage still.

Honestly, other than to make your burger go farther, I really don't understand adding anything to it.  Bacon ends for some extra flavor, sure.  However, it is certainly not necessary for cooking it in any form I have ever tried to cook venison.  If you are having problems with your hamburgers falling apart, use a smaller grinding plate.  The moose I had done a few years ago was very coarse and did not like to stay in a burger, when I regrind it, it stays fine.

So, additional expense plus less quality lean venison seals the deal for me.   

[arrowflinger]

I do not add anything to it until I make sausage or hamburgs. Then I can try different things in it at the time I want to. For my snack sticks I add 1lb pork butt to 5 lbs elk or deer.


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[Whitpirate]

I raise my own pork so I cut in some fat/lean from that and then I make about 15% bacon burger.  Not as lean as pure elk but I've got pretty good damn pork too so I roll with it and have no complaints when I serve it.  if I have to add egg and breadcrumbs to anything I better be making meatballs or meatloaf.

[NRA4LIFE]

if I have to add egg and breadcrumbs to anything I better be making meatballs or meatloaf.

Well said.

[Lightning_Rider]

We've gone back and forth over this for years in our hunting crew. Personally, I think adding 10% beef suet is the way to go and that's what we've stuck with the last few years. Burger binds better, still holds good flavor, tastes fantastic whether being used for patty's or ground.

[JDHasty]

if I have to add egg and breadcrumbs to anything I better be making meatballs or meatloaf.

Well said.

[JDHasty]

We've gone back and forth over this for years in our hunting crew. Personally, I think adding 10% beef suet is the way to go and that's what we've stuck with the last few years. Burger binds better, still holds good flavor, tastes fantastic whether being used for patty's or ground.

I add pork fat because my brother's wife is a Tai Budist sect that doesn't eat beef.  I prefer beef suet myself, and that is what I used to specify, but can live w/the pork just fine.   

[The Weazle]

Ground meat, no fat.  I use it for taco's, chili, and other ground meat recipe's.  I trim the meat really good, grind it once though the course plate, and then clean out the grinder head, and then run it through the course plate again.  Put in 1 lb packages and vacuum seal. 

For hamburgers, I use 3 lbs of bacon ends and pieces to 10-11 pounds of ground meat.  I run both the meat and bacon pieces through the course plate, add 1/2 to 3/4 bottle of Worcestershire sauce and  then run back through the course plate again.  I have a cabelas patty maker, so I use that, and some patty papers and make packages of 4.  Partially freeze, then vacuum seal.

For sausages, Bratwurst, etc, I use about 2-3 lbs of untrimmed pork butt to every 10 lbs of deer/elk meat.  I run it all through the course grinder plate, add my seasonings and mix, then run through the course plate again.  Then I add my cheese, if the recipe calls for any, then I either make bulk packages or tube it, tubes get partially frozen, then vacuum packed, bulk just gets vacuum packed.

[grundy53]

Thanks guys. Looks like I'm good to go with not adding fat to the burger. I do plan on adding fat to my sausage.

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[lokidog]

Thanks guys. Looks like I'm good to go with not adding fat to the burger. I do plan on adding fat to my sausage.

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You can always mix some in later depending on application.

[Dan-o]

I always add fat to my burger.....    7%

It would just be too dry for our liking w/o it.

0% fat in the taco meat is a good idea.

[Magnum_Willys]

I always add fat to my burger.....    7%

It would just be too dry for our liking w/o it.

0% fat in the taco meat is a good idea.

   Great Burger !  Don't hear that as often with pure game meat. 

[lokidog]

Toss a slice of cheese on your burger if you need some fat.      

[The scout]

I have done it both ways, seems hard to cook without(sticks to much without adding lots of oil). now I add about 2%, seems like a good balance. if you don't add any seems like you add oil or butter to cook in a pan or something to hold it together to make a patty. if your grinding it yourself I would grind a bit and try cooking some

[The Weazle]

I have done it both ways, seems hard to cook without(sticks to much without adding lots of oil). now I add about 2%, seems like a good balance. if you don't add any seems like you add oil or butter to cook in a pan or something to hold it together to make a patty. if your grinding it yourself I would grind a bit and try cooking some

I add a little avocado oil to it while cooking so it doesn't stick...I have also cooked from frozen with water in the pan, and then drained it and then added seasonings with great success.

[Stein]

I grind it twice, big and small plate and call it good.  I would only add fat if I was making sausage.

[Buzz2401]

I add 10% pork fat to all my burger.  It comes out great.  All we eat is elk, deer and fish so I'm not worried about a little bit of pork fat.  It helps when cooking and grilling and comes out so much tastier.

[WSU]

Sounds like you can add nothing or from 2 to 15 percent of pork, beef, bacon, suet or whatever and it's good.