Ground beef and other ground meats are so versatile. As you will soon see in my list of 9 Awesome Ground Beef Recipes!
You can literally mold ground meat into what you want it to be. You can also splurge on quality ground beef while still maintaining a budget. Ground Waygu, anyone? (I love it and always purchase it when available.) And if beef is not your thing, you can often substitute ground pork, turkey, or chicken into your recipe.
I love working with ground beef, which probably stems from my BIG love of greasy, messy cheeseburgers! It's reliable and fairly easy to work with. However, I've read a few recipes that have given me pause, so I'd like to share a few tips and lessons I've learned along the way to help you get the best out of your beef!
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Tips for cooking with ground beef
- Handle it as little as possible. This may seem difficult, especially when mixing and incorporating seasonings and other ingredients. To achieve this, I always crumble the raw beef into the cooking vessel or bowl with my hands rather than drop a solid brick down and hack away with a spatula.
If I'm combing ground meat with other ingredients, I use my fingertips only (no squeezing!) and gently toss the crumbled beef with the other stuff. Then, when it's coated, I push the other ingredients through the beef, using only my fingertips. It takes a little practice, but you'll get it. - Chill it before cooking. The fat in the beef will get very soft while preparing the ground beef. For example, when making a hamburger patty. If you cook that patty immediately, much of the fat that keeps the burger moist will seep out before it fully cooks. If you chill your formed hamburger patty in the refrigerator or freezer (for 30 minutes) for a while, the burger will retain more moisture because it stays cool long enough to match the beef's cooking time. You will still see fat seep out, but not nearly as much.
- Tenderize it before cooking by using baking soda. Use ¼ teaspoon for each pound of ground beef you use. (Mix with a tiny bit of warm water first to help it disperse evenly.) As mentioned above, crumble the beef into a bowl. Then, toss it with the baking soda mixture and let it sit for 15 minutes before cooking. Once it's cooked, you will be rewarded with soft, bouncy ground beef.
- Use the fat, don't drain it! I like to work with 80/20 beef, so I get quite a bit of fat while cooking. You can do lots of things with that fat.
After browning the beef, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and cook the next part of the recipe in that fat rather than draining everything and adding more oil to the pan. Or, if it's a saucy dish, leave the fat and use it for a roux by thickening it with flour. The rendered beef fat gives the dish more flavor and a softer texture and saves you money by not using additional fat like oil or butter.
Check out the collection below of some of my favorite ground beef recipes for your next dinner!
Chili Tater Tot Casserole
Enjoy this simple, comforting chili tater tot casserole. Scratch-made beef chili baked & bubbly under melty cheddar cheese and topped with crispy tots. Double it for a big family!
BBQ Cheddar Burger Patty
It is filled with griddled onions, shredded cheese, intense ranch dry seasoning, and smokey barbecue sauce. Cheese lovers, this is for you!
Greek Cabbage Rolls
Make a delicious dish with a Greek twist - Greek Cabbage Rolls! Classic beef cabbage rolls with fresh herbs and an easy lemon cream sauce. These cabbage rolls steam on the stove rather than in the oven. How convenient!
Beef Chili
Classic beef chili is an American staple. This simple version is made with tender ground beef, kidney and pinto beans, fragrant aromatics, and perfectly balanced seasonings. This beef chili is not only easy to assemble but delivers that classic chili flavor you crave!
Bolognese Pizza
Say ciao to this homemade bolognese pizza recipe using a scratch sauce and your favorite base that's topped with loads of mozzarella cheese.
Hawaiian Roll Cheeseburger Sliders
Classic cheeseburger flavor packed into soft King's Hawaiian rolls for a handy appetizer that might be considered better than the real thing! It is filled with a ground beef mix, so much cheese, pickles, and condiments. Get ready to smile!
Ground Beef Sweet Potato Hash
Tender crumbled beef with caramelized sweet potatoes, onion, and mushrooms that are spiked with fresh rosemary in a one-pot gluten-free meal.
One-Pot American Goulash
One-pot American goulash is a simple, hearty meal of tender ground beef simmered with saucy tomatoes, classic seasonings, macaroni noodles, and cheddar cheese!
The only meatball recipe you need
This is very much an all-use recipe. Solid savory flavor, moist and bouncy texture, and with my cooking technique, almost perfectly round every time! These meatballs are a perfect replacement for pre-made frozen meatballs in any kind of dish you make.
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