Better Burger

Inspired by Mark Bittman's recent article in the New York Times, we decided to try to grind our own beef last night for better burgers. Hubby stopped at his new favorite butcher and picked up a five-pound chuck roast. Following Bittman's suggestion, we pulled out the food processor, chopped the roast into one-inch cubes, and pulsed it in batches to the desired consistency. Hubby then formed a few burgers, seasoned them liberally, and blessed them on the grill. The verdict: definitely better than store-bought ground beef. The taste was meatier, and the burger was juicier. Next time, I would use the meat grinder attachment we have for the mixer to do the dirty deed. I'd also season the meat mixture, rather than just the burger exterior, and perhaps sneak a pat of butter into the heart of the burger (a trick I recently learned from Ina Garten).