GROUND MEAT FOOD PROCESSOR RECIPES

Steps:

• Place in a food processor the meat with a metal blade, taking care to process in small (no more than 1/2-pound depending on the size of your processor) batches.
• Pulse in short 1- to 2-held second bursts until the desired consistency is achieved, about 10 pulses. (Count one one thousand two one thousand).
• Pulsing is key do not let it run.
• Pulsing distributes the pieces for more even chopping and avoids excess heat from friction that could turn your ground beef into mass of mush.
• Add any seasoning (like garlic, herbs, onions) for a recipe, right in before beginning to process.
• For burgers, a coarse grind is the way to go.
• For meatloaf and meatballs, a finer grind helps the meat compact, blend with other ingredients, and hold its shape.
• Ground beef usually comes from one of three cuts: chuck, round or sirloin.
• Chuck is my favorite choice; it's a little fattier than the others, but gives great flavor.
• Ground beef from the round or sirloin tends to be leaner, a good thing if you're counting calories but a bad thing if you want the juiciest, most dynamic burger possible.
• If meats are lean add olive oil, tomato juice, egg so it is moist. For best results your ground meat should have at least 10 percent fat to meat ratio.
• My favorite is 85 percent lean ground chuck. The fat is where the flavor is, and it also adds moisture for a juicier end result.
• Yes turkey, chicken, pork, veal, lamb can be ground as well.

Steps:

• Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes: Remove any bones and tough pieces of sinew or membrane, but leave the fat intact.
• Partially freeze the cubes of meat and the food processor blade: Line a baking sheet with parchment and lay the meat in a single layer; use two baking sheets if the meat doesn't fit in a single layer. Put the meat in the freezer, along with the food processor blade. Freeze 20 to 30 minutes, just until the edges and corners of the meat are stiff, but the middles are still pliable. Do not let the meat freeze completely.
• Grind the meat in batches: Place the chilled blade in the food processor. Fill the food processor no more than half full with cubes of meat (leave the rest of the meat in the freezer). Cover and pulse the meat 8 to 10 times with 1-second pulses. The meat should look coarsely ground and hold together when pinched.
• Re-grind, if needed: Dump the ground meat out onto the baking sheet. Use your fingers to quickly sift through the meat and pick out any large chunks that the blades missed. Toss these back in the food processor along with the next batch and re-grind.
• Use or freeze the meat: I generally grind just what I need for my meal, but you can also freeze any extra for another time. If freezing, shape the meat into patties or small portions before freezing to make it easier to use later on.