The short answer
- Beef chuck, or a mix with about 20 % fat, makes a juicy patty. Mince it cold and only once.
- A press gives every patty the same size and thickness, so they all cook the same.
- Baking paper between, an hour in the freezer, then seal: the patties keep their shape and come apart frozen.
- Vacuum sealed, mince keeps about 12 months in the freezer.
Why mince your own
Bought mince is made from whatever trim is at hand. When you mince it yourself, you choose the cut and the fat, and the meat goes from a whole piece to a patty in minutes. Beef chuck is the classic for burgers: enough fat and connective tissue for flavour. Brisket, short rib or a share of pork add more.
Fig. 19 · Patties to freezer
Seven steps
Paper between the patties keeps them apart in the bag.
Step by step
1 · Chill the meat and the mincer
Cut the meat into cubes and put them in the freezer for about 30 minutes, until firm at the edges, together with the auger, cross blade and disc.
2 · Mince once, loosely
Through the 8mm disc for a coarse patty or the 4.5mm disc for a finer one. Let the mince fall loosely into a cold bowl and don't knead it: the more it's worked, the denser and tougher the burger.
Helps: LANDIG W100 mincer · Perforated discs
3 · Weigh the portions
Patties of the same weight cook in the same time. Salt them on the outside just before cooking: salt mixed into the mince early makes the texture firm and sausage-like.
4 · Press
A sheet of baking paper into the press, the mince on top, a second sheet, then press down and push the patty out. Press a shallow dip into the middle with your thumb: patties swell in the middle as they cook, and the dip keeps them flat.
Helps: LANDIG burger press
5 · Firm up, then seal
Lay the patties on a tray with their paper and freeze them for about an hour. Firm patties keep their round shape under full vacuum, and the paper lets you take out one at a time. Seal two to four per bag and freeze them flat.
Helps: R-Vac bags
Which press size
| Press | Good for |
|---|---|
| ø 50mm | Sliders, mini burgers, party food |
| ø 85mm | Small buns, kids' burgers |
| ø 110mm | Standard and large burger buns |
The LANDIG burger press comes in three sizes. Patties shrink a little as fat and juice cook out, so press them slightly wider than the bun.
Cooking them from the freezer
- 1
Straight from frozenPatties can go straight into a hot pan or onto the barbecue: give them a few minutes longer and turn them more often.
- 2
Or thaw in the fridgeOvernight in the fridge with the bag cut open, never on the bench.
- 3
Season the outsideSalt and pepper on both sides just before they go on the heat.
Burgers are mince: cook them through. Mincing spreads the bacteria from the surface of the meat right through the patty, so a burger isn't served pink like a steak. Australia's Food Safety Information Council advises cooking mince to 75 °C in the centre.
LAVA AustraliaOfficial LAVA distributor and vacuum-packaging specialists since 2018.
