“Quality beef makes a great-tasting burger,” said John Stika, a meat scientist and president of Certified Angus Beef LLC. “Understanding ground beef quality and sourcing it are good strategies for ensuring satisfaction.”

           The finest in quality, the CAB brand’s high standards ensure remarkable flavor and juiciness. Modest or higher marbling provides the robust flavor and juiciness. This finely textured internal fat melds with the beef, where mixed-in fats in basic hamburger easily melt away during cooking.

Several factors influence marbling, including cattle feeds. Grain feeding influences higher marbling, and in turn, imparts flavor that taste tests show most consumers desire. Allowing only “A maturity” for the CAB brand also ensures flavor.

“Careful selection gives CAB ground beef distinct advantages in flavor, juiciness and color,” he said. “Generic Angus burgers rarely have as high standards.”

The brand’s certified grinds–ground chuck, ground round and ground sirloin–offer the highest quality. According to USDA guidelines for this category, they include beef and trimmings only from the named primal. There are no additives.

“Subtle flavor differences exist between chuck, round and sirloin,” he said. “Ground chuck is most popular because it balances flavor with acceptable cooking loss.”

Ground chuck is naturally near 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat, the ratio most preferred in foodservice. Ground sirloin and ground round offer leaner options but need more attention during cooking, especially when the USDA recommends cooking burgers to 160ºF (71ºC).

In addition to certified grinds, the CAB brand also offers ground beef. This USDA category allows grinds from CAB chuck, round, sirloin, other suprimals and trimmings. It does not have added water or fat, like the generic “hamburger” category does.

Beyond the CAB brand, quality variation is just as great as with steaks. Other certified grinds, ground beef and hamburger add layers of variability, even from other brands. Key differences include beef quality grades, cattle feeds, cattle age and additives used in basic hamburger. Differences in quality are not a matter of safety. USDA ground beef guidelines, grades or brand standards can help you identify a trusted level of quality.

“For some, it’s simply a matter of price,” Stika said. “CAB grinds provide known quality advantages for pennies per pound. Satisfying customers is the one true test.”

Border Burger

Ingredients

·         3 pounds (1.4 kg) Certified Angus Beef ^® ground chuck

·         3 tablespoons (45 ml) green chilies

·         9 tablespoons (135 ml) black beans, drained

·         6 tablespoons (90 ml) frozen corn, thawed

·         3 teaspoons (15 ml) adobo seasoning

·         3/4 teaspoon (3 ml) cumin

·         3/4 teaspoon (3 ml) chili powder

·         3/4 teaspoon (3 ml) salt

·         3/4 cup (175 ml) grated Manchego or Monterey Jack cheese

·         6 hearty hamburger buns

·         6 tablespoons (90 ml) chipotle flavored mayonnaise

·         2 avocadoes, sliced

Instructions

1.       Preheat grill. Combine green chilies, black beans, corn, adobo, cumin, chili powder and salt; set aside.

2.       Portion ground chuck into 12 patties. Top 6 with equal portions of bean and corn mixture. Top remaining patties and seal, crimping edges together with a fork.

3.       Grill burgers to desired doneness. Top each with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) grated cheese and melt cheese slightly.

4.       To assemble, top each bun with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) chipotle mayonnaise, 1 burger and 3 to 4 avocado slices.

Serves 6

Nutritional Information per Serving: 848.5 Calories; 53.3g Fat; 16.1g Saturated Fat; 161mg Cholesterol; 41.2g Carbohydrate; 5.0g Dietary Fiber; 57.2g Protein; 1,488mg Sodium; 41% daily value Iron (based on 2,000 calorie diet).

Recipe provided by Certified Angus Beef LLC