Grinding your own burger.

I usually grind meat about once a year. I started stocking up last summer when they ran briskets and chuck roast on sale. Krogers usually has the best sales on brisket in my area. My cost per lb. was about 2.13 per lb. but I was able to get meat cheaper this year than I had in many years. I do actually save a little money by grinding it myself, but the main reason I do it is because I like knowing exactly what I am eating in my ground meat. This ground meat is pretty close to 80/20, which is what I like for burgers and everything else. I bought the Cabela`s meat grinder in 2008 and it does a great job. I started cutting meat in 1980 and started grinding my own meat at work shortly after that and continued the practice until I retired from the grocery business in 2006. I was able to get the brisket ranging from 1.47 to 1.77 lb. and the boneless chuck roast were 1.99 lb. That is the best price I have seen on both items in a long time. I will try to get the price break down a little later.

Looks good, definitely a way to cut the cost of your ground beef.

Love those grey meat tubs, much more convenient than ice chests.

Definitely a nice job! And they look like TSA tubs?

I bought mine at cosco or cabelas don't remember which

Looks great. I liked my deer cut 50/50 with brisket until brisket got too high.

They are Rubbermaid tubs from Costco.

Looks great. I grind my only chili meat but not burger.

That's what I'm talking about.

A guy willing to grind his own should surely have a vacuum sealer??

I have one. I have used it but it takes longer and I have never had any problems doing it with the bags. I use my Foodsaver vacuum sealer on just about everything else but HB meat.

We don’t vacuum pack our venison/pork grind we use in place of ground beef either. Much cheaper easier and faster to wrap in butcher paper and we don’t have any issues with freezer burn etc it’s not hard to get the air out.

Very informative post!!! I have a hand grinder and want to try that now. I bet I see an electric rig in my future.

Good stuff there

Here is the total cost per lb. It is probably the least I have ever paid since buying my grinder. Saving a few bucks isn`t really the motivation for me grinding my own as much as knowing exactly what is in my ground meat. I have ground sirloin and skirt steak with the brisket in the past but did not think it added to the flavor though. I cooked burgers on the griddle last night and they were great.

Weight before trimming.....70.39 lb.
After trimming................54.10 lb.
Shrink...........................16.29 lb.

Total cost...………….115.62
Cost per lb........….2.14 lb.

Looks great, meat and price.

That's some good looking ground meat. I prefer to grind my own also as I hate to purchase water (from ice used to cool the grinder) for $5.99 a pound. It is a shame to purchase it and see a half cup of water from browning 2 pounds of meat, not counting the amount of grease.