Give Ground Beef More Flavor With This Other Meat

Ground beef has plenty of flavor, especially if you opt for a higher-fat blend. Still, if you're a dedicated member of the Guild of Lily Gilders (as I am), you'll know that there are few food products so pure that they can't stand a little tweaking. While many ground beef dishes are upgraded with cheese, there's another way you can make them even more flavorful: adding a different meat. Specifically, we're talking about the other white meat, aka pork. Kevin Chrisman, executive chef at Golden Hour in Asheville, North Carolina, gives a shoutout to one pork product in particular, saying, "I love adding a nice smoky bacon to my burgers to give them a nice punch of salt and flavor."

To add bacon to ground beef before cooking it, grind it up in a food processor and mix it in raw (a 1-to-4 ratio of bacon to beef works well). It's also okay to fry, bake, or microwave the bacon first if you prefer, although don't let it get too crispy since it will also be cooking along with the beef. Chrisman said you likely won't need to change the cooking method for whatever dish you're making, although you should be careful if you're grilling bacon-enhanced hamburger patties, as the extra fat might cause flare-ups. As a safer alternative, Chrisman suggested smashing them in a pan. As he pointed out, "Most people love smash burgers, and you can put just about anything into those and cook them exactly the same way."

Kevin Chrisman acknowledged that other pork products, too, can blend well with ground beef, although he noted, "Different pork products will result in different textures and flavors." If you live in Wisconsin, you should easily be able to find ground-up bratwurst, since the state's favorite sausage is used to make its signature brat burgers. Make a 50/50 bratwurst and ground beef blend. If you don't live in the Badger State, you can always grind bratwurst in the food processor or use a different type of pork sausage. 

A mixture of ground beef and pork can also be found quite easily in any Midwestern supermarket (this is pig country here, and pork is often cheaper than chicken), but it's simple enough to do it yourself if you live elsewhere. Using both ground beef and pork not only makes for a juicier burger but also tastier meatballs, chili, meatloaf, stir-fries, sloppy joes, and more. 

If you have leftover ham, try grinding it in your food processor and combining it with ground beef. (A can of deviled ham spread will also work.) Ham makes meatloaf so much tastier, and it can also put the "ham" back in hamburgers. Need a dish to bring to a party? Combine ground ham with ground beef to make beefy ham balls (or hammy beef balls) in a tangy, tomato-based sauce. This retro appetizer is just the thing for entertaining.