Our very best burgers

Ground meat facts

Buying ground meat
• Unless otherwise marked, supermarket ground beef comes from cuts primarily from the front shoulder (chuck) and trimmings from cuts.
• Ground beef from a specific cut is called “source-grind.” Ground sirloin is the most common, but you may also find ground blade or ground round. Source-grinds are slightly more expensive but often are tastier.
• You also can get very flavourful ground beef from butchers who carefully dry-age their meat. You can usually ask for coarse or fine ground, according to your preference.
• Ground beef is graded by fat content: extra-lean up to 10% fat; lean up to 17%; medium up to 23%; and regular up to 30%. The fat content of ground meats other than beef are not government regulated. However, ground pork or lamb, sold as lean or regular, follows the same guidelines as beef; we recommend lean.

Cooking ground meat
• Ground meat must be used within 24 hours of purchase.
• Although cooking ground meat so it is no longer pink is generally safe, the Beef Council of Canada recommends the use of a digital meat thermometer. Remove the beef patty from the grill and insert the thermometer through the side until the tip reaches the centre. The internal temperature must reach 160°F (71°C) to kill any harmful bacteria, such as E. coli. Wash the thermometer immediately after testing any undercooked patty.
• Because fat drips out during cooking, the amount of fat in cooked ground beef is reduced by one-third.
• You can freeze ground meat for up to 3 months; seasoned and mixed ground meat can be frozen for 1 month in bulk or already formed in patties. Wrap in plastic and seal in airtight container or double wrap in foil.
• Any recipe for grilling burgers can be adapted to stove-top or broiler cooking. In grill pans and skillets, cook burgers over medium-high heat. Or broil 6 inches (15 cm) under heating element.