The Best Meat Blend For Burgers, According To Gordon Ramsay
Celebrity chef extraordinaire Gordon Ramsay makes no secret of his fondness for comfort food. With a range of cooking hacks for everything from fish and chips to beans on toast, Ramsay always seems to find a way to elevate anything to make it amazing.
Ramsay's elevation of comfort foods extends to the classic burger, where his special meat blend creates amazing patties. "The perfect blend is a 70-20-10 ratio — 70% chuck steak, 20% short rib, 10% fat," Ramsay explains in a YouTube short. Ramsay's patented mix is freshly ground and seasoned with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a light dusting of chili flakes.
The next step involves making a hole in the center of the mix, dropping in an egg for use as a binder, and blending it all together. Once blended, the meat is put through a cutter for uniform shaping and an even cook. Once the bun is lightly toasted in a skillet, the burger is cooked with a little oil. Ramsay advises a quick 30-second sear on each side before finishing the burger in the oven for eight minutes.
What makes a good meat blend?
Blending meat cuts for the perfect burger blend can be an art form, but when it's pulled off it results in a burger packed with flavor. But why do chuck steak and short rib blend so well together? It's because they balance each other out.
By combining the two cuts together as Ramsay does and running them through a meat grinder creates what some describe as the "perfect" meat ratio, where the richness of short ribs is balanced with meaty ground chuck. Mixed with a little bit of fat, it creates an ideal burger blend whose flavors are accentuated by the seasonings and the toasted bun. Ramsay's version with an egg essentially creates a mini meatloaf with flavor bursting from every bite. So if you're looking to turn your burgers from ordinary to extraordinary, this easy meat mix is perfect for your next family dinner or get-together.
Looking to impart more flavor into your burgers? Butcher Dario Cecchini recommends adding bone marrow to your burger blend to add more fat. If you're looking for more flavor beyond Gordon Ramsay's spice blend or your own personal favorite, consider these flavorful mix-ins to spice up your next batch of burgers.