Dry Age Burger Blend

[Roostershooter]

I am thinking about putting a custom burger blend together.  One that consists of a dry aged chuck, brisket and short ribs in a ratio of 3-1-1.  Has anybody out there ever tried this?  Any comments on the ratio of meat are welcome. 
I think i will age the chuck about 40 days but I was wondering how the pellicle should be trimmed off when preparing to grind.  Some folks out there grind the whole roast, pellicle and all.  I do not think I can do that and wonder if that is really safe?  Should the pellicle be lightly trimmed taking maybe an 1/8 off and leaving the rest?  Any thoughts or experience on this is also appreciated. 

 

[old sarge]

This might help. 

https://aht.seriouseats.com/2013/05/the-burger-lab-dry-aged-burgers.html

 

[barelfly]

Another board I frequent, a few of them use the pellicle for just what you are thinking. I think I actually ground some up the last time I made burgers as well, but it’s been a while. I’ll check my notes to see if I have this.

A few others don’t really trim it at all and carve out and eat it as is. I’ve actually enjoyed the texture and flavor the pellicle provides over time.

 

[Roostershooter]

Seems that some lightly trim and some don’t trim at all for burger. I guess that when you are making 20-25 pounds of hamburger that the pellicle would not impart much flavor really. As long as the entire batch was not ruined due to adding it. I have been just giving it to the dogs.

 

[Pork Belly]

There was that show on Food Network that featured a huge family run meat distributor run by two brothers. I cant remember the name but they were a big deal in the NYC Restaurant market.

They developed a dry aged burger for a steak house that featured dry aged steak. They made a big deal about it on the show but all they did was use the standard brisket/chuck mix and included the trim from their dry aged primal cuts to give it some funky aged flavors.

You could do the same, invest the time in aging some fantastic steak and use the trim to flavor your burgers.

 

[Roostershooter]

I think this go around I will just trim up the chuck and add it into a batch of burger at a later date.  For now, just use the aged chuck, brisket, and short ribs to make a burger blend. 

I think the restaurant was peter lugar's place in NYC.

 

[Pork Belly]

The Show I was referencing was Meat Men, featuring Lafrida & Son Meats. They younger guys were cousins not brothers. I just came across an episode on YouTube while looking for something else.

 

[Roostershooter]

Ok, I will have to check that out/  Thanks!

 

[Roostershooter]

I ended up talking to a couple of butchers and switched gears a bit on my custom burger blend.  i dry aged a sirloin for 40 days, trimmed the pellicle and chunked the sirloin and mixed it with equal amounts of brisket and chuck.  The pellicle was soaked overnight in beef broth and ground in with the sirloin, brisket and chuck.  The resulting blend is really good.  Great beefy flavor and about 20% fat.  If you were thinking about creating your own blend, I can highly recommend this one.

 

[barelfly]

Cool blend! How did you dry age the chuck? Did you use a Umai bag?

 

[Roostershooter]

The sirloin was dry aged.  Yes, used a Umai bag.  I have been debating about getting a dedicated dry age fridge but the bags are cheap and reliable.

 

[Felix]

That sounds like a killer blend dry-aged chuck with brisket and short rib in a 3-1-1 ratio should give you a great balance of beefy flavor, fat, and tenderness.
As for the pellicle, you re right to be cautious. While some folks grind it all in, it can introduce a funky texture or overly concentrated aged flavor. I'd recommend trimming off the outermost layer about 1/8" to 1/4"especially if it's dark, dry, or has any mold spots. That way, you preserve the aged flavor without risking food safety or an off-putting texture.


Keep us posted on how it turns out this could be an epic burger!