After my cheese problem became solved I thought I would try another simple one, hamburger. In a different life, long ago and far away I owned a few franchised hamburger restaurants so I know a little about ground beef. I had eaten at “Mikes” and found the burgers tough and tasteless. Burgers get tough from over handling or over mixing in an electric mixer plus using beef that is too lean.

I had heard all the negative things about Thai beef but figured since American burger is primarily from old dairy cattle that are about to die I wondered if it could be any worse.

The answer is yes. It looked decent, nice and lean and fresh and unlike American beef was red all the way through. In most American markets they don’t clean the grinders very well and bacteria begins to grow in the middle of the ground beef package. Since the outside is chilled first the outside looks nice and red but when you open it the inside is brown. This was not the case with the Thai ground beef. It was a very loose grind not compressed at all. I thought I would try one patty without doing anything to it. I lightly greased the sides of my Wok and grilled it. The patty had an odd sweet and sour taste. Not spoiled but from obviously low grade cows on a grass diet.

In the States one can purchase high quality Black Angus steer burger and the Thai burger was at the opposite end of the scale.

I put in a couple of fine ground crackers a little ketchup a little whipped egg and a touch of soy sauce but not too much to make it wet and compressed it a number of times in my hands to make a compact patty. What I would consider over handling seemed to improve the Thai meat and the result is a decent burger.

That's the only place I've found (so far - Tops) that has reasonable ground beef without their adding 'extras' to the meat. It does make a pretty good grilled (charcoaled) hamburger IMHO). I moisten it with soy sauce, add a little pepper and salt and slap it on the grill. Put on sesame bun with mustard, mayonaise, lettuce and a slice of cheese and it beats McDonalds by a long way.

It seems to depend on who grinds it and the 'beef of the day' because some times I find it too crumbly and it wants to fall apart. But all in all, I think it is quite good if properly done. If I get it crumbly, it works very well in spaghetti and meat sauce or chili con carne

I no longer buy hamburger once I learned how easy it is to make your own if you have a small food processor. I will buy chuck steak or sirloin and cut it into small cubes and pulse grind ( 7 to 10 pulses) a few cubes at a time in the processor until I have the amount I need. Now the best thing about doing it yourself is that you can safely cook a medium rare burger.

You could try Rimping Market and ask for their Thai-French ground beef. Much better than Northern Farms Market used by Mike's Burgers.

You could try Rimping Market and ask for their Thai-French ground beef. Much better than Northern Farms Market used by Mike's Burgers.

What does Thai-French mean?

Thai-French is the name of a company. They raise primarily Charolais (French) cross cattle.

Charolais is a breed with a good growth rate but, I find, a somewhat musty, slightly unpleasant flavour to the meat. The Thai French cross tastes better.

Thai-French is the name of a company. They raise primarily Charolais (French) cross cattle.

Charolais is a breed with a good growth rate but, I find, a somewhat musty, slightly unpleasant flavour to the meat. The Thai French cross tastes better.

What is the Charolais crossed with?

I believe it is the local, indigenous Bramin cattle.

I believe it is the local, indigenous Bramin cattle.

No wonder. It must be hard to get the right mix, because they not only have to get beef that is tender and tastes ok,but it also must be able to survive the local diseases etc