Extension Corner: The great American burger

There are approximately 50 single nutrients essential to good health and no single food contains them all. That is why it is recommended that we consume a variety of foods from MyPlate daily. Significant amounts of several important nutrients are available in an American staple, the hamburger patty:

Protein – nutritionally complete protein contains all eight essential amino acids in ideal proportions to maintain tissues and for energy.
Phosphorus – for strong bone maintenance.
Iron – heme, the most usable form of iron, comprises 60% of the iron in beef.
Riboflavin & Thiamin – vitamins which act as part of coenzymes to release energy from food.
Niacin – for healthy nerves.
Vitamin B6 – a co-enzyme for protein utilization.
Vitamin B12 – found only in animal foods. It prevents anemia.
Fats – for energy and to satisfy appetite.
Zinc – trace mineral as part of enzymes. It helps wounds to heal and enhances sense of taste.
How do you get the best Burgers in the market? The meat labeling system used across the U.S. tells you the leanness of ground beef. Leanness refers to the ratio of fat to lean. The less fat, the leaner the beef. Ground beef can come from one of several muscles or primal cuts. It is more or less lean depending on where it comes from on the beef carcass.
To get the best burger, here is what you should know. The patty is the backbone of your burger. Your choices at the meat counters are ground beef, ground chuck, ground round and ground sirloin.
Ground chuck is the most flavorful because it has the most fat. It will also shrink the most during cooking and causes “flare-ups” while grilling.
Ground round is the leanest of the four and will make a dry patty unless liquid is added. Sirloin has a wonderful flavor but is also the most expensive.
How do you keep quality? Once you have bought quality ground beef, you need to take precautions to keep it top quality. Because ground beef is broken up into tiny particles, it loses quality much faster than steaks and roasts.
To keep your ground beef top quality: ì
Refrigerate as soon as possible once purchased.
Use within a day or two. If you must keep ground beef longer, freeze it. ì
Oven-cooking or slow cooking causes drying out of patties, so cook patties quickly. ì
Handle as little as possible and gently. Mashing hamburger meat before or during cooking helps cause dry, hard patties. ì
Cook patties and hamburger steaks quickly and until pink has disappeared and the juice runs clear. They are safe when they reach 160°F. ì

Ground meat is more perishable than most foods. In the danger zone (between 40°and 140°F), bacteria can multiply rapidly. Since you can’t see, smell or taste bacteria, keep the product cold to keep it safe.
What is the best way to handle the meat safely? Choose ground meat packages that are cold and tightly wrapped. The meat surface exposed to air will be red; interior of fresh meat will be dark.
Put refrigerated and frozen foods in your grocery cart last and make the grocery store your last stop before home.
Pack perishables in an ice chest if it will take you more than an hour to get home.
Burgers must be cooked well done due to food borne illness issues.
Ground beef should be cooked to 160°F. To check doneness, use a clean instant-read thermometer and insert it horizontally into the patty, away from the heat source.
What is the safest way to store the meat?
Set your refrigerator at 39°F or colder and your freezer at 0°F or colder.
Keep uncooked ground meat in the refrigerator; cook or freeze within 1 or 2 days.
Use or freeze cooked meat stored in the refrigerator within 3 to 4 days.
For best quality, store frozen raw ground meats no longer than 3 to 4 months; keep cooked meats 2 to 3 months. ì
Cooking kills harmful bacteria. Be sure ground meat is cooked thoroughly to an internal temperature of 160°F.
For more information on this topic contact the Newton County Extension Office at 446-2240. Also, available at our office with more great recipes is a handout on the Great American Hamburger. Call for your copy! The Arkansas Extension Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity, equal access and affirmative action institution.

Here is a recipe for a Delicious American Hamburger.

1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. liquid smoke
seasoned salt to taste
Preheat grill for high heat. In a medium bowl, lightly mix ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke and garlic powder. Form into patties, handling the meat minimally. Brush both sides of each patty with some oil; season with seasoned salt. Place the patties on the grill grate and cook about 5 minutes per side or until thermometer reaches 160°F.