This is the only way to know what is in your hamburger.
I think the best meat for burgers come from the Beef Chuck, followed by the Beef Round. Both are tasty, the Round being leaner than the Chuck. Buy Boneless Chuck Roasts, Boneless Underblade Roasts, etc and Boneless Beef Chuck Shoulder Clod. The Brisket Point will make one of the best burgers you've ever had. If you opt for the leaner, buy Top Round, Eye Round or Bottom Round Roasts. Occasionally you will find whole Sirloin Tips on sale and these make good burger, also, but extra fat may have to be added.
Ground Sirloin
Cut the meat into one, or two inch, chunks for easier grinding. You will not need to remove any of the excess fat, unless it looks like an exorbinate amount. Eye ball* it before cutting and think in your mind that the total fat needs to be some where in the 10 to 15% range (more or less depending on your preferences). Make sure the meat is COLD while grinding. Partial freezing won't hurt. I would try running the meat thru the medium plate first, you might be surprised. Grind twice for the best results. If need be, use the coarse plate first and then switch to the medium or fine to finish.
* "Eye balling" it takes years of experience, so if you don't think you are up it, just trim all exterior fat from the meat and then weigh the lean to the fat for the correct ratio. For example: if you have 5 pounds of lean meat, add ¾ pound of fat back for 85/15 Ground Chuck (best for burgers on the grill) or 1 pound fat for a 80/20 mix. Keep in mind that if the meat is marbled well (a good USDA Choice or Prime), you can figure almost 5% fat is already there, so cut back on the fat addition.
Also, if you happen to cut your own steaks at home for the NY Loin Strip or the Rib Eye, save your clean fat trimmings in 1 pound bags for the freezer. It will come in handy one day
Ground Chuck
1) if you have the time and the room.....place the head of the grinder/attachment in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to grinding meat.
2) place the trimmed meat chunks in a bowl or on a cookie sheet in the freezer for approx 20-30 minutes before grinding.
Both of the above ease the procedure of grinding the meat.
3) If you are using the Brisket Point, remove all the external fat. There should be enough marbling in the interior to give you a good 80/20 or a 85/15 Ground Chuck. If it looks too lean, you can always add some extra fat from the trimmings.
4) After the first grind, the meat is going to look fatty. This is normal. Gently toss by hand a few times to mix and run through the grinder the second time, it will look better.
5) Put the ground meat back into the fridge while you clean the grinder. Keeping it cold makes it easier to work with.
Bacon makes a good additive
As far as value, that would be entirely up to you. If you can find any meat around $2.00 a pound these days, that's a good buy! Check with your butcher or Sam's/Costco/BJ's, etc for a price on whole primal cuts, such as Boneless Chuck, Shoulder Clods, Gooseneck (Bottom) Rounds, Peeled Top Rounds or Sirloin Tips. I would avoid buying "marked down or reduced" steaks or roasts for grinding
UNLESS you are going to use the burger that day. It's already got an 'age' on it and defrosting it will add some more time to it.
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I've been asked to provide a few more tips on grinding burger and making sausage, so here goes.
Per the photo, I use the 'medium' plate for grinding hamburger and will grind the meat only twice, as this is sufficient. If I were making 'chili meat', I would only use the 'large' plate and grind just one time.
For sausage, I prefer the 'large' plate for the first grind and then will switch to the 'medium' plate for the second grind. If you prefer the coarser grind, then please feel free to leave the 'large' plate in without switching it out.
Before you start grinding any type of meat, make sure the ring (above) is screwed onto the head
TIGHT, otherwise the hamburger meat will come out all squiggly shaped and the head will clog up. I usually use a knife steel or a wrench to tighten and untighten it with.
I like to cut the meat into strips first, about 1x1x6 inches and place it in the freezer until it's almost frozen. Keep the meat in the hopper so you don't waste time getting it to the feeder tube. This applies to the sausage meat, as well.
After the first grind, put a good amount of meat in the hopper for the second grind. When you run low, shut the grinder off and refill the hopper.
DO NOT RUN THE GRINDER EMPTY!! This will burn what meat is in the head, plus metal against metal will result in a burning smell and add to early derterioation of the parts.
This what the Chuck Roast looks like after the first grind. Make sure to grab a pinch of the first grind and mix it back thru before you begin the second grind.
and after the second
After the last grind and you take the grinder apart, you will notice a few ounces of ground meat still in the head, near the plate and the knife. This meat is perfectly fine to use, just make sure there are no pieces of bone or gristle stuck in there.
When stuffing sausage.....this is important.....after the second grind,
REMOVE the plate and knife from the head of the grinder. Place your stuffing tube in the head and replace the ring, making sure it's tight. It may feel loose, but once you start pushing sausage through it, it will tighten up.
Wash the grinder in hot, soapy water and then rinse in hot water to rinse. Do not let the grinding plate, knife or the ends of the screw air dry, or else they will rust. Hand dry all parts as quick as you can. Take a food grade Mineral Oil, found in the medical supply section of your drug or grocery store, and rub it lightly on all parts of the grinder that will be stored away, including the threads on the inside of the ring. This inhibits rust from forming and also to keep the parts lubed for best use.
The above tips are specifically for the $89-99 grinder from Northern Tool, but some of it does apply to all grinders.
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One last tip if you are planning on making patty's* and freezing them.
I like to put the fresh made patty's on a baking sheet with wax paper and then into the freezer for a few hours, or overnight. Then, when you put them into your food saver bags, they will not get squashed or leak liquids when vacuuming Thumb Up
* I also do this with chicken breasts, fish fillets, boneless chops, etc.
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Link for the grinder
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200451267_200451267