How to Add Fat to Lean Ground Beef for Juicy, Flavorful Burgers

Lean ground beef can make for a great healthy option, but it often lacks the fat and moisture needed to make really juicy, delicious burgers. Luckily, there are several easy ways to add fat to lean ground beef to achieve the perfect texture and flavor balance. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk through the best methods for adding fat to lean ground beef, along with tips for getting the ideal fat ratio for your burgers.

Why Add Fat to Lean Ground Beef?

The main reason to add fat to lean ground beef is to boost moisture and juiciness preventing a dry, dense texture. Fat acts as a lubricant in ground meat, allowing for tender juiciness and excellent binding. Higher fat ratios also enhance flavor and create crispy edges when seared. Here are some key benefits of adding fat

• Increased moisture and juiciness
• Improved texture and mouthfeel
• Enhanced flavors
• Better binding and hold togetherness
• More tender and less dense
• Crispier sear and browning
• Higher succulence and richness

A general rule is to use at least 15-20% fat content for burgers to achieve an ideal balance of flavor and texture. Very lean beef under 10% fat tends to result in dry, crumbly burgers.

Best Fats to Add to Ground Beef

There are several excellent options for adding supplemental fat to lean ground beef

• Butter – Readily available, adds great moisture and tender richness. Use grated cold butter.

• Beef tallow – Provides authentic beefy flavor. Chill and grind with beef.

• Bacon grease – Adds smoky depth and pork fat richness.

• Heavy cream – Whisked in, provides moisture, tender fat and richness.

• Cheese – Melty cheese gives great moisture and binding. Finely grate a bold cheese like blue cheese before mixing in.

• Oils – A small amount of olive or avocado oil boosts juiciness. Drizzle over beef before mixing by hand.

• Eggs – The yolks add moisture, fat and binding properties to help hold burgers together.

• Sour cream – Increases fat content and gives tangy moisture. Whisk in a few tablespoons.

When adding fats, aim for firm, cold fats that can be finely incorporated versus using hot liquids that will break down the texture. Keep fat chunks very small.

How Much Fat to Add to Ground Beef

The ideal amount of fat to add depends first on how lean your starting ground beef is, and secondly on your desired final fat ratio. Very lean beef under 10% fat will likely benefit from higher added fat ratios.

Here is a general guide on how much fat to add to 90% lean ground beef to reach common targets:

• For 85% lean (15% fat): Add 1/4 lb fat per 1 lb beef
• For 80% lean (20% fat): Add 1/3 lb fat per 1 lb beef
• For 75% lean (25% fat): Add 1/2 lb fat per 1 lb beef

To precisely calculate, subtract your starting fat percentage from target fat percentage. That number is the percentage of the total weight to add in pure fat.

For example, adding 20% fat to 2 lbs of 90% lean beef means adding 0.4 lbs of fat (20% of 2 lbs). This achieves a final mix of 80% lean, 20% fat.

Best Practices for Adding Fat to Ground Beef

Follow these tips when adding supplemental fats to lean ground beef:

• Chill fat and beef well before mixing. Partial freezing helps blend.

• Finely dice, grate or melt solid fats before adding to beef. Keep pea-sized or smaller.

• Use a light hand when mixing beef and fat together. Over-mixing can toughen meat.

• Consider mixing in bold flavors like garlic, cheese or herbs along with fat.

• Shape patties lightly. Avoid compressing too much, which can toughen texture.

• Cook burgers to slightly pink centers, or to medium doneness if using pork fat.

• Brine lean beef in salt and sugar before adding fat. Helps retain moisture.

• Pan sear burgers in added beef fat, bacon grease or oil for enhanced flavor.

Best Ground Beef Fat Ratio for Burgers

The ideal fat ratio depends on personal preference, but here are some common targets:

• 85/15 – Provides decent moisture and flavor if you prefer leaner burgers.

• 80/20 – Considered the classic burger sweet spot balancing moisture and beefy flavor.

• 75/25 – Makes for a nicely succulent and indulgent burger with crispy edges.

• 70/30 – Very juicy and flavorsome but edges can get overly greasy. Good for smashed burgers.

I’d recommend starting in the 80/20 zone and adjusting fattier or leaner based on your taste. Go extra-lean if making turkey burgers.

How to Add Butter to Ground Beef

Butter is one of the easiest and tastiest fats to add to very lean ground beef. For the best results:

• Use high-fat, flavorful butters like European style. Regular unsalted butter works too.

• Grate the cold butter using a cheese grater or food processor to get fine shreds.

• Mix the grated butter pieces evenly into the lean beef. Work quickly and gently to avoid smearing.

• Use approximately 1 tbsp finely grated butter per 1/4 lb of ground beef. Adjust to taste.

• For extra richness, whisk in a bit of melted butter after forming patties. Adds a lovely succulence when seared.

Butter provides wonderful moisture and beef-complementing flavor. It’s readily available and integrates beautifully into burgers for an evenly juicy, tender result.

Adding Bacon Fat to Ground Beef

Bacon fat gives incredible porky richness and smoky flavor when added to lean beef:

• Use reserved bacon drippings or cook chopped bacon to render the fat.

• Allow to slightly cool so fat is still liquid but not piping hot.

• Mix 2-3 tablespoons (or more to taste) bacon fat per pound of ground beef.

• Use a light touch to evenly distribute without over-blending texture.

• Fry burgers in bacon fat for even more bacon flavor.

The concentrated smoky pork flavor pairs so well with beef while injecting delicious moisture and fat. Use bacon fat as your secret weapon for gourmet beefy burgers.

Mixing in Crumbled Bacon

Instead of just the fat, you can also mix in crumbled cooked bacon strips for little meaty bacon bit bursts:

• Cook bacon until crispy, let cool, and finely chop into small bits.

• Use about 2-3 slices crumbled bacon per pound of ground beef.

• Quickly work the bacon crumbles evenly into the raw ground beef by hand.

• Avoid over-mixing which can make the burgers dense and tough.

The benefit of cooked bacon versus raw bacon is you don’t have to cook the burger well-done to fully cook the bacon. Just a quick mix-in of bacon bits results in amazing bacon-infused juiciness and flavor.

How to Add Heavy Cream to Ground Beef

Heavy cream provides a quick moisture and fat infusion:

• Pour about 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream per pound of lean beef.

• Whisk the cream briefly into the ground beef until evenly distributed.

• Work quickly to avoid over-mixing the texture.

• Let chill for at least 30 minutes to allow cream to fully absorb.

The rich dairy fat from the cream gives great succulence and flavor to otherwise dense lean beef, while the liquid provides much-needed moisture. Just don’t overdo the cream or it can make for greasy burgers.

Blending in Crumbled Blue Cheese

Blue cheese is a powerhouse flavor and fat addition:

• Use a strong blue cheese variety for bold flavor.

• Crumble the chilled cheese into very small bits.

• Mix about 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles per pound of ground beef.

• Gently work cheese pieces evenly into the raw beef.

The sharp creaminess of blue cheese melts deliciously when cooked into burgers, providing ample fat and juiciness, while the bold cheese flavor perfectly complements the beef.

Frying in Beef Tallow for Big Beefy Flavor

For incredible depth of flavor, pan-fry your burgers in rendered beef tallow:

• Cook ground beef tallow in a skillet over medium heat until melted.

• Form beef patties and fry in the hot tallow, spooning it over the tops as they cook.

• Cook burgers about 3-5 minutes per side, to desired doneness.

The concentrated beefiness of the melted tallow infuses into the burgers, providing rich, meaty flavor and succulence beyond just olive oil or butter. Love