Why Grilling Extra-Lean Ground Beef Is A Big No-No

One of the biggest mistakes people make when cooking with ground beef comes down to numbers, as in the ones printed on the label: 93/7, 90/10, 80/20, 73/27, and so on. These figures refer to the ratio of lean meat to fat, and as all you math geniuses have no doubt noticed, the numbers in each pair add up to 100. If you always pick the leanest option, you may wind up ruining your meatloaf because ground beef needs a little fat in order to be juicy and flavorful. Extra-lean beef may be fine for a steak, but not a burger, especially if you're grilling. Scott Thomas, who blogs about barbecue at The Grillin' Fools, cautions that it can be extra tricky to grill this type of ground beef.

"Grilling is not as precise as cooking on the stove, where we set a temp and the heat source stays at that exact temperature until we change it," Thomas warned. "If they are higher, and the beef is extra lean, that doubly drops the window we have to cook the beef perfectly," he added. His recommendation for grilling is to use 80/20 beef, since in his experience, it makes the best burgers.

If more fat makes a burger better, though, why not go for the 73/27 or 70/30? It does tend to be cheaper, after all, but Thomas feels this is a false economy. "There are more flare-ups and a lot more shrinkage, so the final product is smaller than the more expensive 80/20. That size difference offsets the price difference in my mind," he explained.

If your freezer is stocked with nothing but 90% lean ground beef, it's not without its uses. Extra-lean beef is fine in spaghetti bolognese sauce as well as chili, casseroles, or any dish where it doesn't stand on its own and its dryness won't matter too much. What if you have your heart set on a grilled burger, though? Short of going out and buying less-lean beef, there are a few ingredients you can add to make the meat moister.

Scott Thomas shared his top tip: "One of my favorite blends is to take a 90/10 ground beef and do a 2-to-1 ratio with ground pork. The taste and texture are outstanding. It's really a phenomenal burger with that added pork fat in the mix." If pork is not an option for you, though, he suggested adding an egg, some mayonnaise, or a few spoonfuls of garlicky aioli. Another flavored mayonnaise would also work, such as a homemade spicy sriracha mayo. You can also opt for bacon fat or olive oil. If you prefer to keep the fat level low, you can also add moisture to the raw meat by stirring in condiments like ketchup or salsa or sauteed vegetables such as mushrooms or onions. "It doesn't take a lot to really kick up that flavor and moisture level," said Thomas.