Budget Burger BATTLE -Cheap vs Expensive Burger -- Does it REALLY Matter?

[@TheFlatTopKing]

Grab our seasonings here...theflattopking.com/

[@bigeyejim]

3:20 “That’s a short six. I’ve heard that forever!” 🤣 Everybody trying to out burger each other but you missed the best line of the video.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

hahahaha

[@brunoloiselle2710]

That's just how the burger crumbles sometimes. More expensive doesn't mean always better. GRIDDLE ON DUDES.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

@@brunoloiselle2710 well said bud

[@Bigdaddybbq-t8g]

​@@TheFlatTopKingI'm wondering if the results would be the same if you were making smash burgers instead of the thicker burger? Do you think the results would be the same?

[@brunoloiselle2710]

@@Bigdaddybbq-t8g I think maybe the fat content makes a big difference, ad they say, the fat is flavor.

[@rangerrick2246]

the thing you didn't mention on the tube meat is the fat content. Higher fat quantity will make the burger shrink but "might" give it good flavor. Too little fat creates a dry burger and might taste horrible.... hence you need more condiments to make it work.

[@Jules_73]

Tenderloin was a bad choice as it’s all lean. Most burger mixes that are “high end” use cuts more like ribeye, short rib, and brisket.

[@hoytraby5411]

didn’t surprise me at all,! I’ve tried both and there’s no comparison to just regular ground beef to me. This for the video

[@garryhammond3117]

Eye-opening video Neal! - Back to basics! - Cheers!

[@timstapp374]

I have a meat grinder for doing ground venison. I've considered grinding my own meats, but with a local butcher shop, it's just not worth the time. By the time I buy the beef or pork, I have more cost than just buying their product. It's locally grown and processed. Ground beef makes great burgers and browns up great for chili or tacos. Sausage, whether sage or Italian is great. Just this morning I made biscuits and gravy from scratch using your recipes! Turned out great! I loved this video. Sometimes it's not about the cost.

[@barrybebenek8691]

😂 “that’s a short 6…I’ve heard that forever”. 😂🇨🇦

[@yalefogarty2498]

Shake that is definitely better on beef I must say. There is just something about a traditional bun and basic burger that takes the tastebuds back to being a kid camping. Thanks for the comparison! Keep cooking kids! 🍻

[@watermanone7567]

Excellent video, many thanks.

[@philipschmidt1801]

Hahaha, I could have predicted that…. I’m curious, how does the bun compare in this? I use those same brioche buns in California vs the cheaper store bought buns, and the store bought ones always has the bottom slice that’s too thin and kind of changes the experience….. I usually go brioche buns, cheap American cheese and 80/20 GB…. Delectable! Great video, and a great idea to compare the two!

[@TheBrokenLife]

My regional chain store had 3lb tubes of 80/20 for $1.50/lb earlier this summer. I don't want to know where they got it from, but I will tell you it made some of the best burgers I've ever made. I've still got a bunch of it in the freezer. I do splurge on the buns a bit.

[@jakespencer8077]

Agree with the Shake That on the burgers. I use it every time I cook burgers whether smoking them or on the griddle💯💯!!

[@masterlee4370]

I had to see how this turned out because I have been there and done that and I will take that burger on your left every time. Glad ya'll felt the same way. Always thought it was just me.

[@scottthejeepguy7499]

Great video, love the outcome.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

Thank you!

[@michaelstuhlman]

Thanks for another informative video

[@kevinito420]

That’s crazy and it validates my current thinking, lol. Another home run my man.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

TY

[@IOSALive]

The Flat Top King, cool content you deserve more subscribers

[@mullhaupt1]

BTW are you going to cook on the grid iron or always on the flat rock. Just asking. And you need to put cheap burger on brioche bun to make it perfect. Keep the videos coming and thanks for your service.

[@askdave8581]

The best bet for tube meat is smash burgers and if you grind your own just use a chuck roast. Ground filet is like eating sawdust.

[@jaybooth4815]

I use the Shake That on burgers, eggs…pretty much everything. I’m blown away the less expensive burger was better. “I’ve heard that forever!” LMAO! Personally I’d still rather grind my own beef. Great comparison and video Neal! Cheers brother!

[@TheFlatTopKing]

ahhahahah

[@rickmartin712]

When we going to see Shake That in the stores? If Dan O can do it, so can you!!!😁

[@jaredbaratono897]

I have a freezer full of really good, really lean hamburger. I have a decent grinder, and go through a lot of meat scraps. I buy hamburger from the grocery store for burgers. Griddled or grilled, especially grilled. Good vid, Guys!

[@aramonarch_7220]

Appreciate your honesty. Too many people think fancy is always better. But you'd be amazed what you can create with a smaller budget. Good video, especially now during the bad economic times for many households. Kudo's.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

Just always keeping it honest....cheers

[@gharv1313]

Great job Neal. Totally shocked but 100% agree 👍. Cheers brother 🍺

[@fredmackay7896]

Great review concept, you guys rock it!

[@TheFlatTopKing]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@cedaroakfarm8596]

Woah, great comparison and thanks for the cost data Amy, costs are crazy and all of us are trying to stretch every dollar yet enjoy the griddle creating food we all like. We switched to your spice as well, in fact on about everything. Had it on a whipped up salad today for lunch, it is the best.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

hahah thanks for all you do bud..cheers

[@toddcrockett]

Great video. The results are surprising. Thanks. GBO

[@trevorearl5876]

I would love to see a side by side comparison of today's winner VS commercially available Wagyu burger. I love the Sam's Club Wagyu but maybe it's all in my head..❤

[@thegregharris51]

Excellent comparison video.

[@steveop123]

Neal ! We put shake that on EVERYTHING ! Especially beef , and chicken, and pork and well you get the idea

[@bidbudy6061]

Cool! What temp did you cook those burger?

[@TheFlatTopKing]

about 135 degrees..

[@benhaze1010]

Grounding short ribs? |You had me teared up a little bit!

[@IamJaneS]

I love Brioche buns, but they make burgers taste very sweet. That could be why the more expensive ones didn't taste as good. That said, I'm a simple person and know that burgers can be made from the cheapest mince, and be absolutely delicious. They both looked good to me!

[@twigb8628]

Have the same burger press, love it

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

The extra fat in the cheaper burger plus nothing but Shake That wins over on the burger taste. You drew three cards to an inside straight and won. Thanks for sharing with us. You both did a great job. Fred.

[@sjgoff]

I did NOT expect that. I need to try thick burgers on my Blackstone.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

Absolutely...get that temp up....and boom...crust for sure

[@itscoolpapapump3812]

Umm the listeria recall of boars head.. hope it’s good lol. It’s all in the seasoning baby!

[@TheFlatTopKing]

still kicking...hahahaha

[@MrScubajsb]

And that Weber mold is great. I must say using the wax paper is a game changer with it. Most people that complain about it say that it sticks to the inside because they are not using wax paper. You definitely need to use the paper and that thing is really cool

[@Mr.S7R4WM4N]

That’s what she said lol! Looks amazing

[@The_Original_Big_Daddy]

Great video guys! You can go to McDonalds and spend $16 bucks for a Big Mac combo, so if you do that for a family of 4 it's north of $60! My advice is to save money and go make some great burgers! Several years ago I purchased an inexpensive grinder from Amazon and since then I have always ground my own beef. The 2 meats I always use are Brisket and Chuck, and 3rd bonus meat has been some ribeye, flap, and tri tip. Last Saturday I ground 12 pounds of brisket and 8 pounds of chuck. Chuck was $6.99 / pound and Brisket was $4 something / pound (Costco). My son and I calculated the combined grind at $4.68 / pound, so since we freeze them in 1/3 pound balls it works out to $1.56. By the way, when we did the addition of ribeye that one time, we didn't think the outcome was as good as chuck/brisket/flap which I would say is our go to blend. I used 2 pounds of this month's blend to make your hot dog chili sauce which is OUTSTANDING!

[@Robert-Harleyville]

That was a very interesting comparison. I would have thought that the steak burger would have won. Take care and stay safe in East TN.

[@72cmcinc]

I like this battle! Surprising results? What temp are you looking for on your burgers?

[@TheFlatTopKing]

Been rocking 135 lately...

[@debb9043]

I shy away from buying meat I can't see so I tend to pass over the ground beef in chubs and usually go for 85/15 BUT gotta tell ya...the SHAKE THAT makes EVERYTHING better 🤤🥰🤤

[@TheFlatTopKing]

ahhaah Hey thank you...and honestly we are the same way....she ssaid thats the first time she remembered buying tube meat

[@weswalker1208]

The other cuts of meat are great but not as Burger. Burger is so good and so versatile hamburgers chili Mexican food SOS spaghetti meatloaf but when you need a juicy steak none of those other meals will cut it. Great video

[@frankarmitage776]

Well shit! Now you have me rethinking everything 🤦‍♂️ good video

[@TheFlatTopKing]

@@frankarmitage776 ahhahahah you and me both

[@terrybeasley7505]

Did you put any tallow in the home ground beef or just the good beef?

[@The_Original_Big_Daddy]

I have done that in the past. Slather up the meat before you grind it with tallow. The outcome is great.

[@benhaze1010]

So interesting conclusion!!!

[@Wattsonthegrill]

Amazing video. I eat cheap. And you just proved that cheap can be great. Cheers!!!

[@warcraft8226]

thanks

[@stonerscravings]

Food Lion sells ground Chuck and I’ve been buying it for years. It’s top notch

[@pat2965]

Food Lion the best supermarket ground beef I've found too, but all they do is buy a big bulk roll in a tube (like the preferred patty in this video) and grind up that log to make it look better for presentation. I bet if Neal had ground up that log of his, he would have liked it even better.

[@floydcampbell1501]

Neal, is that MEAT grinder the dual grind or the single? I've been using a Cuisinart home kitchen grinder and it's on its last leg so I'm in the market. I have a 10 inch meat slicer and was wondering about their grinders.

[@alans6767]

I save money on burger by grinding my own. When our local store puts chuck roast or brisket or whatever on sale I get that and grind it. Right now our store has pork butts for 1.59s/lb and I will get a coupe for sausage. Sure it is more work but my labor is free and the cost savings is enormous.

[@Roger-zo1eb]

Sometimes simple is best. You don't have to reinvent the wheel.

[@fredmackay7896]

Curious if you have any issue with cooking the preground to medium rare? I always was told it was dodgy unless you ground it yourself? Great entertainment as always, thanks!

[@TheFlatTopKing]

Personally we have eaten like this my whole life....my whole family on both sides...I am not saying there are zero risks....BUT not a one in my family on both side have ever had this happen...

[@RamblersDiner]

We use “shake that” on our burgers, and pretty much everything else. I use “shake” on my KZbin videos, as well as my own blend of SPOG (O is for onion). Edit to add: I’m not a fan of Brioche buns for my burgers…much prefer a potato bun.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

Appreciate that...we dont have maritns int he area..but they seem to have a following for sure.....

[@williamjohnson6152]

Facts are facts.🫡🤷‍♂️

[@stonerscravings]

I love the naked burger

[@jamesstein5087]

Wow, I pay $7.93 a lb for Walmart ground chuck here. Think I need to move to TN. (I think that’s where there are at).

[@timr135]

3:20 Hilarious.

[@bobrees4363]

Either one has to beat Navy sliders.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

hahahaah Pucks

[@frankmarullo228]

Good video guys , just about everything I buy is wal Marts " great value " THANK YOU FRANK FROM MONTANA.....

[@chrism1164]

T^his was great! The result was such a surprise!

[@TheFlatTopKing]

TY,....

[@daveanddianethrowingcautio5707]

Us simple people love this outcome.

[@HowieKoski]

The other burger with all that steak that would be an awesome steakburger put some steak sauce on there sauteed onions you name it it would be awesome

[@SetitesTechAdventures]

I'm surprised by the results. I have tried tube meat in the past and I always find the tube meat ends up drier and has less of a beef flavor. My issue is that because it's so compressed the fat renders out too fast. The lack of cavities means the fat has nowhere to go. The same thing happens to the good stuff if I press it too hard. I am all about saving money but the tube meat taste difference makes me stick with the better stuff. But I like a sweet spot. I don't like the lean stuff so I am comparing 80/20 tube to 80/20 ground in a pack. I have tried 90+% beef and it had a more interesting flavor but it needs more fat. But the better ground beef is less twice teh price of tube at walmart so its not as drastic as what you do. I might consider doing the test again to see if there is any way to make tube meat hold the fat more. It might also matter that I like to sous vide my burgers because I like to prep a bunch, freeze, then vacuum seal them. Though Recently I found they taste better if I freeze, vacuum, then later thaw and cook normally instead of sous vide.

[@Wattsonthegrill]

I need this in my life

[@rodderbob]

I don't doubt your perception, but I do wonder if it would be repeatable. If I were doing a test off I'd only use salt as seasoning, your blend has a great profile and might be part of the slant in preference. Second, while it's not a high risk venture, I'm skeptical of "mystery beef" in a chub, and wouldn't cook them quite so rare inside. The stuff you grind yourself is a known quality, and you control the handling cleanliness. As others have said below, you might have been a tad light on the fat content relative to the prepackaged stuff. As for the buns, brioche isn't always the choice, but higher quality, meaning sturdier buns are a better choice, especially on juicy burgers. I hate when the last few bites the bun is falling apart in my hand. All of that said, if the "cheap" burger makes someone happy, that's success. If they can't tell the difference in quality there's no point in paying for it.

[@smrdmr1]

I just ordered some shaake that aand smash that. Looking forward to trtying them both.

[@MrScubajsb]

I have always said if you know what you're doing you can make good food even with cheaper ingredients. And even with heaper ingredients you can do way better than fast food

[@carlbeaver7112]

Two things... beef is beef. Yes, what the cow was fed the last couple 2 - 4 weeks can make a difference. Yes, a regular burger vs. a smashburger can make a difference because of the closer to burnt, less fatty/greasy edges of the smash is more about the char which has absolutely nothing to do with the beef. But when it comes to being cooked in the same style, beef is beef. The major component is the fat content of the beef, how it was 'finished' - grass only or 'grained' before slaughter and the fat/meat ratio. The major portion of the sandwich is the bread. It really doesn't have to be fancy to make a huge difference, it just has to be fresh. Even a few days old vs fresh can make a difference, lightly toasted or not. If you want to serve the best you have to source your bread daily. Period. Slap the 'best' beef on a crappy bun and you have a crappy burger and there's nothing you can do to change it. Pickles, condiments, dancing girls and a quart of beer won't make that burger any better. Anything added beyond the meat and bread is no longer about the burger. When you make a meatloaf it is NEVER about the meat you used, is it?

[@bakingnanaskitchen4799]

I won't buy or use "tube" burger but I also would never in my wildest dreams think of grinding rib eye, short rib or filet. There is a middle ground. First, I won't buy or want to eat "tube burger". Instead of 'tube' burger I get ground beef from Costco and repackage it myself. Costco does not use LFTB. The tubes can (don't always) contain 'pink slime' aka "finely textured beef (LFTB), It's a meat byproduct that's used as a filler or additive in ground beef and other processed meats to reduce fat content. LFTB is made from small pieces of lean meat that are heated and treated with ammonium to kill bacteria." That bacteria is E-Coli. Another alternative is getting Chuck on sale and either grinding it myself or having it ground in store. Good burgers do require a certain fat content, 80 / 20 is my choice for burgers. I like my burgers like you, medium just a bit of pink in the middle. However, there is a reason it says to cook to 160° and with frozen burgers to cook from frozen. I don't feel comfortable cooking preformed patties or tube burger to medium.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

100 understand...

[@MASTERoQUADEMAN]

I’ve heard that forever 😂

[@jeffkuipers1030]

since you talk so highly about the seasoning you talked about ,you talked me into buying a bottle of SHAKE THAT before this video was done.

[@RobbinsJoe]

Boss, thanks for another great informative video. Well done 👏. I'm pumped for Saturday and College Football!!! Your Vols are getting a lot of positive press, everything from the qb winning the Heisman to having Coach of the Year. And making the playoffs can't forget that. My Illini will be their typical bottom feeder Big Ten selves, but they are my team. I'm a big SEC cuck. Roll Tide and Go Dawgs!! I'm also a closet Vol fan. 😂 Enjoy your season. It should be one to remember.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

I am as well...just call me flat butt Saturday...because I aint moving...hahahahha

[@fletchbundy]

Preground is sold to you overworked. Especially in a tube. The best way to ensure it doesn't shrivel into a puck is smash burger. Also, I don't care what level American cheese out of plastic is the only cheese for burgers. I'll take the cheap burger all day.

[@stevegerber2076]

Your steak burgers were probably too lean, maybe 90/10 or higher. Would be great for Donair. I've found 80/20 to be the sweat spot for burger flavor, 70/30 is just too much fat with extreme shrinkage and grease fire potential on grills.

[@kassi2671]

😂😂😂 short six😂😂😂

[@HowieKoski]

Fat is flavor and juiciness more fat the juicier will be

[@malcolmboynton7652]

as much as i like to mess with different options if i give my wife anything than a basic cheeseburger she will punch me in the face. and guess what? basic is easy and good. meat, bread, cheese, s&p. tomato and onion slice.

[@flintstone4208]

Lmao that's a short 6😂😂😂😂

[@ScottCornes9573]

Short 6

[@Z1ldjian2785]

I would up it a bit and ditch the generic cheese. Take a cheap burger with the better cheese then you'll have a real winner for a few pennies more

[@TheFlatTopKing]

We feel the same way after tasing...cheers

[@markb.1259]

That should have been a blind taste test. Your vote on which burger you liked best was likely influenced by the cost. Do Over... Blindly!!! 🙂

[@rahkeemladson788]

Possibly next time make sure your fresh ground burger has 80/20 ratio just like the store bought ? Just a suggestion. Not a fair comparison. IMO

[@gregvaughntx]

Interesting. Next try grinding your own inexpensive (but proper fat percent) meat and make your own bun from scratch to compare to the cheap store-bought version.

[@keyster747]

i also put shake that on my burgers. ;)

[@TheFlatTopKing]

Awesome....we liked it for sure

[@jagflhtc]

I would never cook store bought hamburger that rare, especially Walmart crap. I would stick with the steak burger rare to medium, hands down. Just me and the wife so we could handle the price. Especially a 3 buck steak burger than restaurants charging 15 bucks for the same thing. JS

[@robertheinken4838]

You never want to cook a burger medium from store bought hamburger. Grind your own? its ok..

[@brentonday7438]

Hold on, you bought 40oz of meat for the expensive burger, but only 16oz of meat for the cheap burger. With 6oz patties, you got 2 burgers plus 4oz from the ground beef, but 6 burgers plus 4oz from the ribeye/filet/shortrib. You'd need to buy another 24oz of ground beef to make this a fair comparison. And I will splurge on brioche buns every day of the week. Some things are just not to be compromised on...lol.

[@TheFlatTopKing]

The price if the meat was based on the breakdown of each oz...regardless of amount....each oz times 6 equals total

[@kellyrogers3967]

My problem with store bought meat is its shipped in from other countrys and that is a turn off I like buying my beef and chicken from a butcher

[@tarasmith9642]

Absolutely loved this episode! Good stuff, Neal and Amy!

[@TheFlatTopKing]

TY...cheers

[@electricman69]

Nobody in their right mind would grind up a rib eye steak to make a hamburger

[@robertramoino9923]

Nice video but overall poor comparison. Better quality cuts of meat but lower fat percentage. Add fat to equal 80/20 of the ground chuck and try again. I'd bet your opinion would change. Another comparison you can do is store bought 90/10 vs 80/20 and see if you notice a difference. I've done it and to me there is a pretty noticeable difference.

[@jamesleonesio3157]

In your own words "Fat is flavor"

[@matthall6296]

Great comparison video, but I think your price comparison is a little skewed. You bought a 1lb chub of the cheap beef, but I'm guessing you bought well over a pound of the meats you ground for the gourmet burger

[@TheFlatTopKing]

@@matthall6296 yes… take the amount of meat and divide by oz. Each was totaled for 6 oz.

[@matthall6296]

@@TheFlatTopKing You're too quick! I went back and saw where you HAD adjusted for the difference in weight. My bad, thanks again for another great video!

[@TheFlatTopKing]

@@matthall6296 Ahhah reminds my of the commercial.. fisherman hanging a dollar… aaahhh have to be quicker than that. Hahahaha

[@kLiMaTiCx]

*This is like saying: does it matter who you marry?*

[@lamarwilliams185]

I dont believe!!! My experience. Store ground burger is good. Angus ground Pattie’s are a step above good. Meat market 80/20 ground beef is great. Dollar store burger stay away from. Don’t ever buy pre-cooked ground beef or bacon.

[@meysam9]

I like burger 😊