Quality Imported Ground Beef

[ThaiBob]

Where can I buy quality imported ground beef? I am planning a dinner party and will barbeque hamburgers. I need the highest quality ground beef available as I like gourmet burgers.. Good hamburgers require good meat, Thai beef doesn't cut it, nor does buying steak and grinding your own (tried that). The fat content is important if you want juicy burgers. Tried Foodland and no dice. BTW, if you go to Bangkok this site is really helpful if you like gourmet burgers:

http://www.bangkokburgerblog.com/

[JusticeFT96]

Central tops you can buy whatever cut of beef you want and ask them to grind it for you.

Tesco now have good quality thai beef, some of their cuts are very good, obviously not as good as imported beef though.

Quality of beef is important in making burgers but its more about what you put in them and how they are cooked

[ThaiBob]

Thanks, I will check out Central Tops (at Central Festival), I know they have a good produce section.

[jbrain]

There is a quality butcher 50 meters down from foodland.

[DrTuner]

Take a look at the frozen section at BigC south road. I was surprised at what they have in there.

Many of the supermarkets carry imported beef. If this is a recurring need, buy a grinder and mince your own. You might want to add some pork fat to get the percentage right.

Ex-carrefour on klang, now BigC extra, has waguy beef right next to their butcher's shop. But since they probably use industrial grinders which are a major pain to purge just for mincing a couple of kilos, it's unlikely you'll get your meat unmixed with the regular Thai rubber buffalo.

Edited October 20, 2012 by DrTuner

[jbrain]

Take a look at the frozen section at BigC south road. I was surprised at what they have in there.

Many of the supermarkets carry imported beef. If this is a recurring need, buy a grinder and mince your own. You might want to add some pork fat to get the percentage right.

Ex-carrefour on klang, now BigC extra, has waguy beef right next to their butcher's shop. But since they probably use industrial grinders which are a major pain to purge just for mincing a couple of kilos, it's unlikely you'll get your meat unmixed with the regular Thai rubber buffalo.

Big C and quality meet in the same sentence

[DrTuner]

The butcher near foodland sources their meat from Chok Chai farm. Their cattle is bred for dairy, not beef, although better than the starved Isaan khwais.

Really, take a look at BigC. They have a small niche of imports. Like said, I was surprised. Maybe it's the old importers of Carrefour who put the stuff there.

[jbrain]

The butcher near foodland sources their meat from Chok Chai farm. Their cattle is bred for dairy, not beef, although better than the starved Isaan khwais.

Really, take a look at BigC. They have a small niche of imports. Like said, I was surprised. Maybe it's the old importers of Carrefour who put the stuff there.

I heard from a reliable source that the foreign butcher at Big C extra will start his own shop very soon.

[ThaiBob]

Take a look at the frozen section at BigC south road. I was surprised at what they have in there.

Many of the supermarkets carry imported beef. If this is a recurring need, buy a grinder and mince your own. You might want to add some pork fat to get the percentage right.

Ex-carrefour on klang, now BigC extra, has waguy beef right next to their butcher's shop. But since they probably use industrial grinders which are a major pain to purge just for mincing a couple of kilos, it's unlikely you'll get your meat unmixed with the regular Thai rubber buffalo.

The butcher near foodland sources their meat from Chok Chai farm. Their cattle is bred for dairy, not beef, although better than the starved Isaan khwais.

Really, take a look at BigC. They have a small niche of imports. Like said, I was surprised. Maybe it's the old importers of Carrefour who put the stuff there.

Thanks, I will visit Big C. I never would have guessed since I am not a fan of Big C for produce. I am trying to avoid grinding my on meat. Things never turn out right.

My thought was there might be a specialty shop or supplier where 5* hotels get their meat.

I will visit the shop near Foodland as a friend also told me to check it out.

[DrTuner]

The butcher near foodland sources their meat from Chok Chai farm. Their cattle is bred for dairy, not beef, although better than the starved Isaan khwais.

Really, take a look at BigC. They have a small niche of imports. Like said, I was surprised. Maybe it's the old importers of Carrefour who put the stuff there.

I heard from a reliable source that the foreign butcher at Big C extra will start his own shop very soon.

This is interesting. Please do follow up on this.

There's also the butcher shop world wide meats, http://www.wwmco.asia/ , where I get my basic cuts. They might well be able to help.

One thing I'd do if making burgers from premium meat would be to manually mince the meat with a knife, Isaan laarp style, instead of cramming through a processor. The cutting action is not the same. Also using selected ground bread crums for the gluten is a good way to adjust texture and taste. But I suppose OP knows his ways, just rambling

Edit: just noticed that wwm carries beef lard. That ought to sort out the fat adjustments. As for the taste, experiment.

Edited October 20, 2012 by DrTuner

[ThaiBob]

..... You might want to add some pork fat to get the percentage right.

.....................

I am trying to avoid grinding or making my own, but do you know the ratios of beef and pork fat you used?

[gaucho]

Gourmet burgers? Will they be served with gourmet french fries, gourmet coke and gourmet Twinkies for dessert?

gourmet burgers can be great ...not as nice as a fur burger but still

[jcgodber]

..... You might want to add some pork fat to get the percentage right.

.....................

I am trying to avoid grinding or making my own, but do you know the ratios of beef and pork fat you used?

It is my understanding that what you want is a 20% fat content

[marinediscoking]

The supermarket in Central shopping mall has ground Australian beef about 5 days out of the week. Or have them ground some of their 150 day aged ribeye steaks, these are the best steaks I have found in Thailand.

If money was no object I would go to villa market have them ground some US steaks that they sell.

New zealand beef is too lean to ground imo.

I have tried the ground beef from the butcher next to food land but was not impressed.

[ThaiBob]

Thanks to all for your replies.....some good info.

[Rimmer]

Lame attempt at off topic humour removed also a quoted reply

[DrTuner]

It is my understanding that what you want is a 20% fat content

I go by look&feel, for 1kg of lean beef I might throw in about 1/2cup of fat and mince together. While I'm not an expert, my parents used to own a butchers shop and I picked up the details while helping them out.

If the beef is already heavily marbled, I wouldn't add anything. It all depends on the cut being minced and also the way it'll be cooked. For grilling the patty on charcoal more fat works better than when using a hot plate. If adding any sugars such as molasses there's also the browning effect one has to think about and adjust heat, time and recipe accordingly. It's a complex equation, a lot more difficult than making steaks IMHO.

I just finished a batch of meatballs, the mince was from BigC's frozen foods, the company name was Asia West foods if I remember correctly. To be honest the regular five star kho khun I had from Lotus Thepprasit the last time worked better. The ground was a bit coarse, taste is fine.

My recipe for the patty is very simple, 1kg minced meat (liquids drained away), 2 eggs, 2tbsp black pepper, 2 onions very finely chopped, 6 tbsp dried&ground white bread, salt. Mix together, let rest for about 15min, dig your hands in and pat to size wanted. It's a good starting point to add any spices wanted. I'm still experimenting on how to get a nice smoky flavor in there without precooking anything. Liquid smoke might work but I haven't seen it here anywhere here.

As for the buns, haven't found any decent ones, I bake my own. Finding the right flour wasn't easy, there's a bakery shop on Sukhumvit north of Nua where they sell flour that has the logo of a spaceship on it, that works fine. I like to add a bit of extra sugar, so when assembling the burger I will use a small fan to get coals red hot, throw the halves on the grill for a couple of secs to get a small toast like crunch in there. It also makes them fluffy.

Veggies, at the market on Soi Khao Talo there's a vendor from the North, Chiang Rai I think, who's there on Wednesday and Saturday. Their iceberg salad is excellent and they have good tomatoes, a rarity here. Also coctail potatoes and another hard variety which makes good wedges to go with the burger.

BBQ sauce, all ingredients except molasses readily available on all supermarkets. I've used maple syrup for the sweetness, works ok.

Of course all this is a lot of work for just a burger, but if it needs to be gourmet, well, that's a start. For me it's a hobby.

[JusticeFT96]

Whats your recipe for your meatballs?

For mine its half minced pork half minced beef, parmesean, flat leaf parsley, garlic and breadcrumbs soaked in milk. Very nice indeed with a tomato sauce

[MTH]

I'm still experimenting on how to get a nice smoky flavor in there without precooking anything. Liquid smoke might work but I haven't seen it here anywhere here.

Maybe this pepper would work for you then. Picked it up at south Tesco Lotus.

[DrTuner]

Whats your recipe for your meatballs?

For mine its half minced pork half minced beef, parmesean, flat leaf parsley, garlic and breadcrumbs soaked in milk. Very nice indeed with a tomato sauce

I start with the basic patty recipe and add some smoked paprika (It's available at Foodland&Makro, Spanish pimento something, metal can with an airplane on it) and if not cooking for kids, a splash of cayenne pepper.

Sometimes I've added a bit of prepared mustard when I've made small coctail type of balls, them I also make from very dry mince in order to get them a bit springy and crispy. My Isaan mother-in-law likes these together with fresh green chili.

I fry them on a high pan with high heat and a lot of unsalted butter. Lard would probably be even better. I generally don't use much minced pork, as it gives a softer texture to it. Just a matter of preference. My grandmother used to use 50/50 beef&pork and heavy cream to soak the breadcrumbs in, this made them very rich in taste. Definately not for health food nuts

I often eat the meatballs together with pasta and a basic tomato based sauce, grating some parmesan cheese on the top. I use a lot of sweet basil in that sauce, which takes care of the herbs.

If cooking for kids, well either chop the onion really, really small or use powder and add a bit of the syrup. I truly don't like sweet meats, but they'll devour a huge plate of the sugary variation within seconds.

Thank you very much for the tip about smoked black pepper. I will stock it on my spice shelf asap.

[ThaiBob]

What kind of fat do you use? Maybe I hire you to make the patties!

[JusticeFT96]

Now im starving!!!

[DrTuner]

What kind of fat do you use? Maybe I hire you to make the patties!

I usually ransack the fridge if I need fat, wife always stocks some fatty pork for her Thai cooking's. She sources it from the nearby market. I simply take the ~ 1" fat layer that's on the top and dice it into small cubes, same with the beef and then cram them into the mincer alternating beef and fat to get even consistency.

For beef I've used loads of different cuts depending on what happens to be available at the moment, chuck and top&bottom round does fine, rib-eyes and loins I use for whole meat steaks. Not sure if using aged beef would fit a burger. Perhaps. I don't think it's available here, but I used to use Brasilian meat. They have free range cattle that feeds on grass. I'm not all that convinced the imported Australian meats are worth the price when compared to the local khokhun, I've been eyeballing the US imported beef at Foodland, price is ridiculous but looks fine. The company Thai French is probably the one that supplies the 5* hotels, http://www.thaifrenchbeef.com/Products.html . I don't know if they have an outlet here.

The mincer I bought from the hardware shop behind BigC second road, the age old manual model. Some elbow grease is needed, but it gives excellent control over the grind. I also have a KitchenAid, but haven't bought the extension for mincing yet. I think it cost like 200b + something for the wooden block I screwed it on, one of these:

Pretty medieval, granted. If I buy ready mince that lacks fat, I just put it through one more time adding fat cubes.

[DrTuner]

BTW for the grill itself .. I have a BBQs Galore 4-burner (cost 60k), but again to be honest the Thais may have an edge with their simple bucket+coal setup. I have one of these as well: http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp539;9%3Enu=5384%3E:67%3E256%3EWSNRCG=3373;24945347nu0mrj and it gives excellent control over temperature, I use a ~200b 220v desktop PC fan I bought from tukcom to get the coals red hot if I need inferno-like temps, which might be needed if making the burgers medium rare. The large BBQ is great for steaks, seafood and chicken, but getting it red hot is not a good idea, uses loads of gas and the hood can only be used for temps under 250 degC. The Thai bucket bbq's are for sale on any market in various sizes for around 100b, when buying coal check first it's from fresh wood and not some old torn down house, they're usually 20b/pack.

Yes I know it sound truly banoork, but works great.

[ThaiBob]

DrTuner has a wealth of information. Thanks!

[pauljones]

On a recent cooking show the chef mixed 1/3 round steak, 1/3 short rib meat & 1/3 sirloin.

Served on a toasted bun with fresh lettuce, a nice slice of grilled red onion and melted American Cheese.

[David006]

Well I am impressed gourmet hamburgers, imported beef...whatever the recipe home made burgers are so much better are they not.....don't forget the fried egg.dill pickle and beetroot..making me hungry.....lol

.... question...fried on the barbie or on a grill.....what do you use as a glue..egg?...mine tend to stick /fall apart and through grills....also when bite into 'em end up with a mouth full of soggy bun and the contents on me lap or plate and end up eating with a fork...........think somebody would have come up with a burger bun like a pita pocket...?

Makes ya laugh when you get a good burger in a restaurant and it turns up held together with tooth picks and 5 cm higher than your open jaws....always wondered if the cooks have a spy window ..."hey watch this guy spray it over the table"....

[pauljones]

Well I am impressed gourmet hamburgers, imported beef...whatever the recipe home made burgers are so much better are they not.....don't forget the fried egg.dill pickle and beetroot..making me hungry.....lol

.... question...fried on the barbie or on a grill.....what do you use as a glue..egg?...mine tend to stick /fall apart and through grills....also when bite into 'em end up with a mouth full of soggy and the contents on me lap or plate and end up eating with a fork...........think somebody would have come up with a burger bun like a pita...

Makes ya laugh when you get a good burger in a restaurant and it turns up held together with tooth picks and 5 cm higher than your open jaws....always wondered if the cooks have a spy window ..."hey watch this guy spray it over the table"....

A good burger will require 5 napkins minimum.

Five-guys.jpg

.

Edited October 22, 2012 by pauljones

[David006]

Well I am impressed gourmet hamburgers, imported beef...whatever the recipe home made burgers are so much better are they not.....don't forget the fried egg.dill pickle and beetroot..making me hungry.....lol

.... question...fried on the barbie or on a grill.....what do you use as a glue..egg?...mine tend to stick /fall apart and through grills....also when bite into 'em end up with a mouth full of soggy and the contents on me lap or plate and end up eating with a fork...........think somebody would have come up with a burger bun like a pita...

Makes ya laugh when you get a good burger in a restaurant and it turns up held together with tooth picks and 5 cm higher than your open jaws....always wondered if the cooks have a spy window ..."hey watch this guy spray it over the table"....

A good burger will require 5 napkins minimum.

Five-guys.jpg

a

I always wear a nice new white shirt and pants for a good meal of spaghetti.......

.

[DrTuner]

.... question...fried on the barbie or on a grill.....what do you use as a glue..egg?...

Egg, bread crumbs and mixing together until a semi-firm mass. Let the mince drain well first, the water in it will otherwise destroy the "bounciness". Juice ought to be from fat, not residual water. Use a cookie cutter to make even patties, just stuff the mix in there, push bigger bubbles of air out gently (not too hard or you'll be eating patty shaped bricks) and lift the cutter away. The neat edge will hold it together better. Use a thin spatula (I use a wooden one that's got fat on it) large enough to support the patty when flipping.

I don't like them too high, but if making a tall one, just pack the stuff in there and press down one time, let rise back up. If the bun is good, it'll hold hard on the outside and form a cavity in the inside to help a bit. Serve in a pocket of wax paper if appearance isn't important.

As for the cheese .. well that's going to get expensive here. BigC/Tesco stock half decent NZ Edam & Cheddar, from the company Mainland. 120b for a small piece, if I remember correcty, it's one of the cheap ones.

Mustard, make your own from powder, it's available pretty much everywhere. Tomato sauce is ok here, f.ex. Rosa. Eggs are all good. Onions are good here. Beetroot, that I buy from the guys at the market from Chiang Rai. What else .. yeah the pickles. Now that's a matter of taste, so make you own or find a brand you like. Bacon, the WWMCO I mentioned earlier has IMHO the best smoked streaked bacon in Town.

The humble burger, what a pain in the a**e Next up, pizza ?