Blended Beef Burger

Name: Blended Beef Burger
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 43 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 oz ground chuck; 4 oz ground brisket; 4 oz ground short rib; Salt and pepper; 4 buns

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

A rich three-way ground beef blend burger, seasoned simply to let the meat shine.

Jump to Recipe

A blended beef burger is one of the rare situations where making a hamburger more complicated actually makes sense. This one combines 50% chuck, 25% brisket, and 25% short rib: chuck supplies the familiar beefy backbone, while brisket and short rib bring extra richness and fat. If you grind it yourself, chilling both the meat and grinder matters because cold fat stays distinct instead of smearing into the lean. If your butcher will grind the blend fresh, congratulations, you have successfully delegated the part of dinner involving machinery.

The rest should stay restrained. Season with kosher salt and black pepper, form four loose ¾-inch patties, and do not knead the beef like bread dough. Compression is the enemy of a tender burger. A shallow dimple in the center helps the patties stay flatter as they cook, and a medium-high skillet builds the browned crust without anyone leaning on them with a spatula like they owe money.

These are big patties—about 225 grams each—so use an instant-read thermometer and take the centers to 160°F. Rest them for three minutes, toast the buns, and keep the toppings sensible. When chuck, brisket, and short rib all showed up, lettuce does not need to give a speech.

Prep30 min

Cook12 min

Rest3 min

Serves4

DifficultyIntermediate

Instructions

1If grinding at home: Cube chuck, brisket, and short rib into ¾-inch pieces. Place all cubes in the freezer for 20 minutes to chill thoroughly. Chill your grinder parts as well. Grind all meats together through a medium die. If using pre-ground from a butcher, ask for a custom blend of 50% chuck, 25% brisket, and 25% short rib, ground fresh.

2In a large bowl, combine the ground beef blend with salt and black pepper. Mix gently just until the seasonings are evenly distributed. Do not overwork; compression will ruin the texture.

3Divide into 4 equal portions (about 225 g each — these are larger than standard). Loosely form each into a patty about ¾ inch thick and slightly wider than your bun. Press a shallow dimple in the center of each patty.

4Cover and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes if time allows to help the blend hold together.

5Heat a skillet to medium-high. Place patties on hot surface without pressing. Cook 4–5 minutes until bottom is deeply browned. The blend will render fat as it cooks.

6Flip and cook 4–5 more minutes. When internal temperature reaches 160°F at the thickest point, the patties are done.

7Rest 3 minutes. The blend is rich enough to benefit from resting, which redistributes juices and brings temperature even.

8Toast buns and assemble simply. Lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles are fine, but keep condiments minimal. Let people taste the beef.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

450Calories

25 gProtein

30 gCarbohydrates

25 gTotal Fat

9 gSaturated Fat

2 gFiber

4 gTotal Sugars

370 mgSodium

80 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

A good butcher is your friend. Ask them to grind a custom blend. Most will happily do it.

If grinding at home, chill everything. Cold meat and cold grinder keep fat from smearing.

Use medium grind, not fine. A fine grind makes the burger dense.

This blend needs minimal seasoning. The three cuts create flavor on their own.

Don't oversauce. The burger is the star. The beef shines brightest when simply served.

Substitutions

ground short rib → ground sirloin plus 1 tablespoon beef tallowShort rib is doing the fat-and-depth job here. Sirloin alone is too lean, so the tallow replaces what you lose.

ground brisket → ground chuckYou give up some beefy depth but the fat ratio stays close. It becomes a two-cut blend rather than three.

freshly ground blend → store-bought 80/20 ground chuckNot the same burger, but it still works. Handle it even less than usual — pre-ground beef is already compacted.

buns → potato rolls or briocheThis patty runs rich and wet. A soft white bun surrenders around bite three.

Storage

Cooked patties: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F skillet, 4–5 minutes per side.

Raw patties: Form, wrap tightly in plastic, and freeze up to 3 months. Cook from frozen without thawing, adding 2–3 minutes per side.

Note: This blend freezes and thaws beautifully without significant quality loss.

Frequently Asked Questions