Grind-Your-Own Sirloin Burger Blend
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 16, 2020
Time
45 minutes, plus 35 minutes freezing
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 pounds sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½‑inch pieces4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled½ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, if using skillet4 slices cheese (4 ounces) (optional)4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
Before You Begin
Sirloin steak tips are often sold as flap meat. When trimming the meat, remove any pieces of fat thicker than 1/8 inch along with any silverskin. After trimming, you should have about 13/4 pounds of meat. To double this recipe, spread beef over two baking sheets in step 1 and pulse in food processor in eight batches. If food safety is your primary concern, you may want to cook your burger to a higher internal temperature. To learn more, check out this guide.
Instructions
- Arrange beef in single layer on rimmed baking sheet and freeze until very firm and starting to harden around edges but still pliable, 35 to 45 minutes.
- Working in 4 batches, pulse beef in food processor until finely ground into 1/16‑inch pieces, about 20 pulses, stopping to redistribute meat as needed; return to sheet. Spread ground beef over sheet, discarding any long strands of gristle and large chunks of fat. Drizzle with melted butter and gently toss with fork to combine.
- Divide beef mixture into 4 lightly packed balls, then gently flatten into 3/4‑inch-thick patties. Using your fingertips, press center of each patty down until about 1/2 inch thick, creating slight divot. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. (Patties can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, stack patties, separated by parchment paper, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in zipper-lock freezer bag.)
- FOR A SKILLET: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Season patties with salt and pepper. (If patties were previously frozen, thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before seasoning and increase baking time to 6 to 12 minutes.) Heat oil in 12‑inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Using spatula, transfer patties to skillet, divot side up, and cook until well browned on first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Gently flip patties and continue to cook until well browned on second side, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer patties to rimmed baking sheet, divot side down, top with cheese, if using, and bake until burgers register 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 3 to 8 minutes. Transfer burgers to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve burgers on buns.FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Freeze patties for 30 minutes. (If patties were previously frozen, thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes.) Using skewer, poke 12 holes in bottom of disposable pan. Open bottom vent completely and place prepared pan in center of grill. Light large chimney starter two-thirds filled with charcoal briquettes (4 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into pan. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grate. Season patties with salt and pepper. Using spatula, place patties on grill, divot side up, directly over coals. Cook until well browned on first side and meat easily releases from grill, 4 to 7 minutes. Gently flip patties, top with cheese, if using, and continue to cook until well browned on second side and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 4 to 7 minutes. Transfer burgers to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve burgers on buns.
for the burger blend
to shape patties
Time
45 minutes, plus 35 minutes freezingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
2 pounds sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½‑inch pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, if using skillet
4 slices cheese (4 ounces) (optional)
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
Ingredients
2 pounds sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½‑inch pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, if using skillet
4 slices cheese (4 ounces) (optional)
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
Ingredients
2 pounds sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½‑inch pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, if using skillet
4 slices cheese (4 ounces) (optional)
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
Why This Recipe Works
We started with sirloin steak tips—which have good flavor, contain minimal gristly fat, and are available in small quantities—and turned to our trusty food processor to grind them. Butter gave the meat some much-needed moisture and fat for juicy, tender burgers. Freezing the patties prior to grilling helps them hold together.
Before You Begin
Sirloin steak tips are often sold as flap meat. When trimming the meat, remove any pieces of fat thicker than 1/8 inch along with any silverskin. After trimming, you should have about 13/4 pounds of meat. To double this recipe, spread beef over two baking sheets in step 1 and pulse in food processor in eight batches. If food safety is your primary concern, you may want to cook your burger to a higher internal temperature. To learn more, check out this guide.
Instructions
- Arrange beef in single layer on rimmed baking sheet and freeze until very firm and starting to harden around edges but still pliable, 35 to 45 minutes.
- Working in 4 batches, pulse beef in food processor until finely ground into 1/16‑inch pieces, about 20 pulses, stopping to redistribute meat as needed; return to sheet. Spread ground beef over sheet, discarding any long strands of gristle and large chunks of fat. Drizzle with melted butter and gently toss with fork to combine.
- Divide beef mixture into 4 lightly packed balls, then gently flatten into 3/4‑inch-thick patties. Using your fingertips, press center of each patty down until about 1/2 inch thick, creating slight divot. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. (Patties can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, stack patties, separated by parchment paper, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in zipper-lock freezer bag.)
- FOR A SKILLET: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Season patties with salt and pepper. (If patties were previously frozen, thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before seasoning and increase baking time to 6 to 12 minutes.) Heat oil in 12‑inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Using spatula, transfer patties to skillet, divot side up, and cook until well browned on first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Gently flip patties and continue to cook until well browned on second side, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer patties to rimmed baking sheet, divot side down, top with cheese, if using, and bake until burgers register 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 3 to 8 minutes. Transfer burgers to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve burgers on buns.FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Freeze patties for 30 minutes. (If patties were previously frozen, thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes.) Using skewer, poke 12 holes in bottom of disposable pan. Open bottom vent completely and place prepared pan in center of grill. Light large chimney starter two-thirds filled with charcoal briquettes (4 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into pan. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grate. Season patties with salt and pepper. Using spatula, place patties on grill, divot side up, directly over coals. Cook until well browned on first side and meat easily releases from grill, 4 to 7 minutes. Gently flip patties, top with cheese, if using, and continue to cook until well browned on second side and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 4 to 7 minutes. Transfer burgers to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve burgers on buns.
for the burger blend
to shape patties
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