store-bought ground beef is a crap shoot You’re never quite sure when it was ground, what part of the cow it came from, or even how many different cows are in the package Not to mention baddies like E coli, rough handling, and tight shrink-wrap packaging that can lead to leaden patties Freshly ground beef has a looseness, juiciness, and flavor that will make every store-bought ground beef burger you’ve ever eaten want to hang its head in shame Grinding it yourself also allows you to select exactly which cuts go into your patties, so you can fine-tune your burgers to your personal taste If you’ve never done it, the task may seem daunting at first, but it’s really not that difficult (see here for tips on grinding meat) If you decide to go with store-ground beef, look for ground chuck that’s at least 20-percent fat (it’ll be labeled 80/20, 80% lean, 20% fat) If possible, ask the butcher to coarsely grind a fresh batch for you Don’t futz around with the meat Despite outward appearances, ground meat is not inert From the moment you lay your hands on it, it is changing dynamically, reacting to every knead, every sprinkle of salt, and every change in temperature Working the meat unduly will cause proteins to cross-link with each other like tiny strips of Velcro, making your finished burgers denser and tighter with every manhandling of the grind For the most tender burgers, grind your meat fresh and form your patties as tenderly as possible For griddled patties with superior nooks and crannies for cheese-catching, I sometimes like to grind my meat directly onto a baking sheet and gently coax it into patties without ever picking it up until just before I cook it Superb Just check out the difference when a loose patty and compressed patty are cooked side by side: A compressed patty has a firmer texture and far fewer pockets to hold on to rendered juices and cheesy goo The unmanhandled patty, on the other hand, has a loose texture that retains juices better (even at medium-well to well-done, it’s insanely, chin-drippingly juicy), has far more surface area for browning, and, as you can see, has plenty of nooks and crannies brimming with melted cheese and juices Additionally, adding junk like onions, herbs, eggs, bread crumbs, or anything to your ground meat not only forces your to overhandle the mix, but instantly relegates your burgers into the “meat loaf sandwich” category You’ve spent a long time carefully selecting and grinding your beef Let it ... on to rendered juices and cheesy goo The unmanhandled patty, on the other hand, has a loose texture that retains juices better (even at medium-well to well-done, it’s insanely, chin-drippingly juicy), has far more surface area for... out the difference when a loose patty and compressed patty are cooked side by side: A compressed patty has a firmer texture and far fewer pockets to hold on to rendered juices and cheesy goo The. .. crumbs, or anything to your ground meat not only forces your to overhandle the mix, but instantly relegates your burgers into the “meat loaf sandwich” category You’ve spent a long time carefully selecting