We Tested 5 Custom Burger Blends So You Don't Have To

Store-bought ground beef is fine. It makes a perfectly acceptable burger. But if you have ever wondered whether grinding your own burger blend would actually make a noticeable difference, we ran the experiment so you can save yourself the guesswork.

We tested five different blends, grilled them identically on a hot charcoal grate, and had six people rate them blind. Here is what happened.

The Testing Setup

All meat was purchased from the same butcher shop on the same day. We ground everything through a KitchenAid grinder attachment using the coarse plate (important, fine-ground burgers are dense and pasty). Each blend was formed into 6-ounce patties, salted identically with kosher salt, and grilled over direct charcoal heat to 135°F internal for medium.

Blend 1: Pure Chuck (80/20)

The baseline. Chuck comes from the shoulder and has an ideal fat content for burgers. It is the default for good reason, beefy flavor, enough fat for juiciness, and widely available.

Taster verdict: Solid, reliable, exactly what you expect from a good burger. Nobody was blown away, but nobody complained either. A strong B+.

Blend 2: Chuck and Short Rib (60/40)

Short rib adds intense beef flavor and extra fat. This was the most richly flavored blend in the test. The fat content sits around 75/25 overall, which makes for a seriously juicy patty.

Taster verdict: The clear favorite. Rich, beefy, incredibly juicy. Multiple tasters described it as tasting like a high-end steakhouse burger. The extra fat makes it more forgiving on the grill too, harder to overcook.

Blend 3: Chuck and Brisket (70/30)

Brisket adds a slightly looser texture and subtle smokiness even without smoke. The fat in brisket renders at a lower temperature than chuck fat, which changes the mouthfeel in an interesting way.

Taster verdict: More complex than pure chuck. The texture was slightly more tender, almost falling apart. Good flavor but some tasters found it too soft for a grilled burger. Better suited for smash burgers on a griddle where the loose texture helps create more crust contact.

Blend 4: Sirloin and Bacon (85/15 plus 15% bacon)

Sirloin is lean with strong beef flavor but not enough fat on its own. Adding raw bacon (ground in with the sirloin) was our solution. The pork fat and smoke flavor from bacon was expected to create something special.

Taster verdict: Polarizing. Half the group loved the subtle bacon undertone. The other half felt it distracted from the beef flavor. Interesting experiment, but not the everyday blend.

Blend 5: Chuck, Short Rib, and Brisket (50/25/25)

The everything blend. We combined our three favorite beef cuts to see if more is more.

Taster verdict: Great flavor, but honestly not better than the simpler chuck and short rib blend. The brisket softened the texture in a way that competed with the richness of the short rib. Sometimes simpler is better.

Grinding Tips That Matter

• Cut meat into 1-inch cubes before grinding, smaller pieces feed more evenly
• Keep everything below 35°F during grinding
• Grind through the coarse plate only, double grinding makes dense burgers
• Handle ground meat gently, pack patties loosely with a dimple in the center
• Season the outside of formed patties, not mixed into the meat

Once you have your perfect blend, use the meat temperature guide to nail your target doneness. And if you are smoking burgers low and slow (yes, it works), check the smoking time calculator for timing.