topic Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist? in Kitchen

Making grass free ground beef more moist?

FunkyHulaGirl — Fri, 30 May 2014 04:44:02 GMT

I've been buying Australian grass fed ground beef; it has no hormones, no GMOs, no antibiotics, etc. I find that burgers made with it are dryer than beef from grain fed cattle. Do any of you use the grass fed beef and, if so, do you have a way of making it more moist?

I've also found that the meat cooks up faster, so one has to be careful to not overdo it.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

mousiegirl — Fri, 30 May 2014 04:49:53 GMT

Probably, if you add onions, the water in them will make the meat more moist, but typically, no fat equals dry. I make German hamburgers with onions, garlic, egg, bread crumbs,and milk, and they are very moist.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

FunkyHulaGirl — Fri, 30 May 2014 04:57:10 GMT

I meant grass FED.

Mousie, I think the fat content is pretty low, which is part of the problem. Maybe adding the egg and bread crumbs...

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

Deadeye Daisy — Fri, 30 May 2014 05:02:56 GMT

FHG:

I get grass fed beef, but it's local. There are so many local organic farms and ranches in North Georgia and Tennessee, that it's easy for us go get really great pork, beef, lamb, goat, poultry and eggs.

The meat I get is usually well marbeled. Even so, I grind my own, and for burgers, I usually grind in at least 10 - 20% of fat, depending on how marbeled the meat is.

When I pick up the meat, they have the fat packed flat in ½ pound packages for me. It's the fat that they trim from the rib section.

I stopped buying Aussie beef because it's TOO lean. One trick, if you insist on the real lean stuff - cover each burger with commercial burger dome. Don't cover the pan - that will just give you a steamed burger. Cover each pattie with it's own dome. This is how we always did it in the restaurant, and it really helps keep the meat moist.

Fortunately, fat is actually good for us. We tell our patients NOT to buy 'non-fat' or even low fat yogurt. Too many people eat all the low or no fat for breakfast when they take supplements that depend on fat to be properly absorbed into the body. No fat with your supplements - you may as well flush 'em down the toilet.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

mousiegirl — Fri, 30 May 2014 05:05:50 GMT

On 5/29/2014 FunkyHulaGirl said:
I meant grass FED.

Mousie, I think the fat content is pretty low, which is part of the problem. Maybe adding the egg and bread crumbs...

Unless you can't eat onions or don't like them, try them also, lots of water in them in addition to flavor, but definitely egg and bread crumbs, I use Panko bread crumbs but any will do the trick. I use ground chuck for these, and really, the majority of the fat leaves the meat patties as they cook, so in the end, one has a juicy, low fat product, but as they cook, the fat keeps them moist as it is leaving the meat.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

dex — Fri, 30 May 2014 05:25:56 GMT

I always add onion and grind the beef in my ninja...my mom adds a tsp of flour cause she says it holds in the juices.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

ennui1 — Fri, 30 May 2014 05:51:42 GMT

Buy fattier beef.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

Tissyanne — Fri, 30 May 2014 05:57:47 GMT

I have looked at packages of grass fed ground beef and there was very little if any fat. What is the reason you eat grass fed?

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

Marienkaefer2 — Fri, 30 May 2014 06:04:00 GMT

Google ""grass fed beef vs. grain fed beef"" to learn the difference between them.

Or read Michael Pollan' s book ""The Omnivore' s Dilemma.""

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

NYwoman — Fri, 30 May 2014 06:11:42 GMT

America's Test Kitchen uses a bit of ricotta cheese added to it. I only buy grass fed beef. I lived near Seattle when there was a Mad Cow Disease scare. Since then, I switched to grass fed beef.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

gardenman — Fri, 30 May 2014 11:28:36 GMT

What you need is a panade. It'll add moisture to your ground beef. There are multiple options for a panade but ""typical"" panades use bread or breadcrumbs and milk. You could experiment with beef stock (perhaps diluted) as the liquid if you want a beefier flavor.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

VaBelle35 — Fri, 30 May 2014 11:47:40 GMT

I buy Wegmans grass fed organic ground beef. It is 93/7 or 95/5, I can't remember.

I like mine medium rare, so I don't have a problem with it being dry.

That said, a lot of people who do Weight Watchers just as a teaspoon of their healthy oil to it (olive oil or sunflower oil) and that helps with the dryness factor.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

boby — Fri, 30 May 2014 15:12:38 GMT

Not trying to sound too cynical here, but do what they do on all the shopping channels when they demo ground beef: Put a couple of ice chips in the middle of your burger patty.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

Ranchergal — Fri, 30 May 2014 15:51:01 GMT

When I was a kid and we ate grass fed beef, it tasted like shoe leather. The reason farmers feed the cow corn one month prior to slaughter is to get some fat into the beef which makes it tender and gives it much more taste. We need the corn, but not the GMO corn. Try to buy beef that has only been fed non GMO corn.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

willdob3 — Fri, 30 May 2014 15:55:10 GMT

I've never used that specific brand. I do buy only grassfed ground beef. Mine is either 10 or 15% fat & I have no moisture problems. I don't even need to add oil to the pan when cooking.

Grassfed beeef cooks faster so it is important to adjust accordingly.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

QueenDanceALot — Fri, 30 May 2014 16:00:47 GMT

On 5/29/2014 Tissyanne said: I have looked at packages of grass fed ground beef and there was very little if any fat. What is the reason you eat grass fed?

Grass fed beef has a much better Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio than does grain fed.

It's higher in the Omega 3's, which is much better for human health.

I buy local grass fed beef and don't have a dryness problem with it. It's very good.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

poppinfresh — Fri, 30 May 2014 16:58:42 GMT

FunkyHulaGirl,

A while back I was watching something on a cooking channel and they were using really lean ground beef. The beef was really dry, and they recommended pouring some melted butter over it and mixing it in and that the butter would resembled the fat and give the burger the much needed moisture, not to mention, incredible taste. I tried it and it worked perfectly...the burgers were beefy and so juicy.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

mousiegirl — Fri, 30 May 2014 17:46:37 GMT

If butter is going to be added, may as well buy beef with some fat in it.

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

FunkyHulaGirl — Fri, 30 May 2014 20:26:10 GMT

Thanks everyone.

Every so often, Earth Fare offers a coupon for the Australian ground beef for half price, which is why I get it - otherwise it's too expensive, so I stock up when I can. I know some fat is good and necessary for the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, so I don't get crazy on avoiding it.

Hey Daisy, you anywhere near, say, the Ft. Oglethorpe area? You might be a neighbor!

Re: Making grass free ground beef more moist?

Tissyanne — Sat, 31 May 2014 05:44:10 GMT

On 5/30/2014 KittyLouWhoToo said:
On 5/29/2014 Tissyanne said: I have looked at packages of grass fed ground beef and there was very little if any fat. What is the reason you eat grass fed?

Grass fed beef has a much better Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio than does grain fed.

It's higher in the Omega 3's, which is much better for human health.

I buy local grass fed beef and don't have a dryness problem with it. It's very good.

KittyLouWhoToo, thank you for your response. I did purchase a pound of grass fed ground beef today, and plan to make mini bell pepper nachos tomorrow. The recipe is posted by Lola in recipe swap. Have a great weekend.