The 3 Beef Cuts That Make Up A Single Culver's ButterBurger

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Real burger fans know what cuts you'll find in a given hamburger can vary quite a bit from one grill to another. Some see ground beef as a way to use up less-desirable cuts, while others splurge on luxury cuts made from wagyu or other high-end varieties. Typically, it's not something thought much about when ordering fast food. However, this is one of many ways family-owned Culver's stands above other places to grab a quick meal. According to the company, the chain's famous ButterBurgers are made from a combination of sirloin, chuck, and plate.

Culver's describes the burger patty mixture, "well-marbled for richness and flavor with no fillers to get in the way." Each of the cuts used for its burgers are from a different part of the cow, offering different advantages and benefits. Sirloin sits along the back half of the cow, running from the ribs down to the hip bone. On the other hand, chuck comes from the front end, around the cow's neck and shoulder. Finally, plate is a broader cut from the cow's center undercarriage and includes cuts like skirt, belly, and short ribs. All provide a high amount of marbled fat and connective tissue, along with rich beefy flavor, which combine to create the classic ButterBurger experience.

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The meat mixture differs somewhat from other fast food burger joints. For example, McDonald's keeps chuck and sirloin, but instead of plate, uses round. Alternatively, Shake Shack's burgers are reported to be primarily brisket, mixed with chuck. Chuck is also the recommended choice among experts for home cooks looking to grind their own burger meat due to its ideal combination of fat and lean muscle.

The combination of beef cuts isn't the only thing that makes Culver's ButterBurgers so delicious — and different from some competitors. The beef is never frozen from the time it's processed to the time it hits the grill, helping preserve the moisture inside the thin patties. Meanwhile, the network of mostly Midwestern farmers who supply the beef for Culver's burgers follows best practices for raising, harvesting, and processing beef. 

With all this in mind, it's hard to argue Culver's doesn't belong among the top tier of fast food chains that use the highest quality beef for their burgers. The combination of company-wide attention to sourcing and a distinctive, flavorful mixture of beef cuts makes it easy to see why this Midwestern cult favorite has grown a strong nationwide following.