Ground Beef Recipes | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to cooking ground beef? ›

After you add the ground beef to the hot pan, let it cook untouched for several minutes. Many cooks make the mistake of constantly stirring ground beef as it browns, but this agitation drives moisture out of the meat, creating a tougher texture.

When seasoning ground beef, start with salt and black pepper. Then, depending on the dish you're making, experiment with savory spices like garlic powder, smoked paprika, and dried oregano. Other seasoning options include minced garlic and diced onion.

Add onions or other chopped seasoning vegetables about 2 to 3 minutes before the beef is ready, or cook them separately. When the pan is hot, add about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break the ground beef up into smaller pieces as it cooks.

Briefly soaking meat in a solution of baking soda and water raises the pH on the meat's surface, making it more difficult for the proteins to bond excessively, which keeps the meat tender and moist when it's cooked.

Put the ground chuck in a large pot or Dutch oven and add seasonings. Add just enough water to cover the meat, bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for about an hour. Every 15 minutes or so break up the meat with a large spoon or a potato masher so that it isn't lumpy.

The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.

Because of beef's hearty, robust nature, flavor-forward spices like garlic and onion or herbs like rosemary and oregano are the best choices for an unforgettable beef dinner. An important thing to consider when selecting seasonings for your meal is that you should be seasoning beef based on the cut.

However, by gently tossing a baking soda solution with the meat (about ¾ teaspoon baking soda to 2 tablespoons water for 2lbs of grind) and letting sit for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking, beef loses less liquid, browns faster and tastes better.

What gives the meat more flavor? ›

Meat flavor and palatability are influenced by fat content, especially in Intra-muscular fat. Lipid oxidation is a major cause of meat quality deterioration during storage and processing due to generation of rancid and off-flavors but low levels of lipid oxidation can enhance the flavor of the cooked meat.

Onions and garlic should be cooked first so that they can add flavor to the oil. This way, cooked foods like pork or beef will absorb the flavors better.

Onion is the first to go in the pan because it needs time to become translucent, meaning it's cooked, which takes about 10 minutes.

Use olive oil first to sauté the onion and garlic. Then add the meat and cook it until it's no longer pink. It takes a keen eye here but once that last pink is gone, take it from the pan immediately and it won't dry out.

Boiling ground beef is the best way to cook it so that it comes out in small, fine crumbles. Trust me, this is the secret to all those amazing tacos and pasta sauces at your favorite restaurant! It's also a healthier option, because the boiling process helps separate the fat from the meat, and it comes out quite lean.

Baking soda acts as a tenderizer for ground beef, keeps it moist during cooking, and encourages deep browning by raising the acidity level of the surface of the meat. Simply add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 pound of ground beef for more tender meat with better browning.

Vinegar can tenderize meat by breaking down its connective tissues and proteins, making it more tender and easier to chew. Additionally, vinegar can add flavor to the meat, especially when used as part of a marinade or sauce.