Your Burgers Are Dry Because of How the Beef Was Packed (A Butcher Explains)

📖 41 years behind the meat counter, all written down: The Old Butcher's Counter, three books on buying meat (At the Counter), cooking the cheap cuts (At the Stove), and cutting, wrapping and keeping it (At the Block) 👉 https://hankskitchen.store Why do your burgers come out dry, dense and puffed up like hockey pucks? Most of it happens before the pan, starting with when you add the salt. Here's how a butcher makes them juicy. I'm Hank. I spent 41 years behind a meat counter grinding beef for burgers nearly every day. In this video I'll show you what to skip at the meat case, how to shape a patty the right way, and how to cook a burger that stays juicy every time. Quick answer: Use 80/20 ground chuck, shape it gently into patties a little wider than the bun and about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick with a thumb dimple, and keep the salt OUT of the meat. Salt only the outside, just before cooking. Sear in a hot cast-iron pan without pressing, flip once, and cook to 160°F (71°C) in the center. In this video: - Machine-pressed frozen burger patties: what's on the label - Lean ground beef vs 80/20 ground chuck for burgers (ground beef vs hamburger labels) - How to shape burger patties without packing them tight - When to salt burgers: why salt mixed in early makes them springy - Never press burgers with a spatula: cast iron, flip once, toast the buns - Burger internal temperature: why color fools you - The butcher's way: chuck ground once, coarse and loose, instead of the tube Butcher's extra: A package labeled "ground beef" can't have loose fat added, but one labeled "hamburger" can. Both must stay under 30% fat, so 80/20 sits right where you want it. Chapters: 0:00 Why your burgers come out dry #7 Machine-pressed frozen patties #6 The leanest ground beef #5 Packing the patties tight #4 Salting the meat before shaping #3 Pressing with the spatula #2 Judging by color #1 The tight tube vs fresh-ground chuck All 7 in one breath 👉 Subscribe for more old butcher tricks: https://www.youtube.com/@HankElleryKitchen?sub_confirmation=1 💬 How did your family make burgers, and did anybody press them with a spatula? Watch next: Stop Buying Thin Bacon | A Butcher Explains What's Hiding Under the Window Hank's Kitchen shares traditional kitchen wisdom from an old butcher's counter. Hank is an AI-generated character. Food safety: ground beef must reach 160°F (71°C) in the center. Check with an instant-read thermometer, not by color. #burgers #butchertips #cookingtips