How to Cook Ground Beef

If you have to find out the largest selling beef items in the market, it is no doubt ground beef. As soon as beef is mentioned, all that comes to mind for a number of people are hamburgers, meatballs, meatloaf, etc. Ground meat is easier on the wallet, as it is cheaper than full beef cuts. It is better to use ground beef as compared to any other form as the fat content is greatly reduced when this method is used, however, sometimes the flavor may also be lost when the grinding is used on the meat. We will see the method of cooking ground beef, so that we are able to enjoy this delicacy to the fullest.

Steps to Cook Ground Beef

People often go wrong, when they cook ground beef, because either the beef is still frozen or some people add water to the pan in which the beef is cooking. It is absolutely possible to cook frozen beef, however, you will have to be patient, as it takes longer and you may have to scrape it all the while till it cooks. You may want to read more on easy recipes for ground beef. Now that we have seen all the basics pertaining to ground beef, let's see the steps for cooking ground beef.

• When you buy the meat, which is high in fat content, you will have to compromise on the quantity of meat. On the other hand, if you buy lean meat, it often becomes very dry. Hence you will have to work out a middle path, when you buy your meat.
• To cook ground beef it is recommended that you thaw the meat in the microwave for about 3 minutes and then leave it in the refrigerator overnight. When you use this procedure, you will get perfectly thawed meat in 15 hours.
• When you start cooking ground beef, it is important, you break the meat. Very often it is seen, that people start cooking the block of meat without breaking it. If you do this, the meat cooks in the same shape and then it is very difficult to break. As a matter of fact, if you break it way ahead of time, you will see it cooks in the traditional granule shape. You can choose to break meat with your hands as well, but make sure you dip your hands in cold water before you handle the meat.
• Most people are not able to estimate the size of the pan required to cook the entire quantity of meat they have. After you have chosen the right size pan, heat the pan and melt 1 tablespoon of either fat or butter in the pan to fry the beef. Keep separating the meat chunks with a spatula and cook till you see the water evaporate from the pan. Mind you, I said water and not oil. Make sure you are cooking it on low to medium temperature, as higher the temperature, more is the shrinkage.
• After the beef has cooked, drain the fat from the beef. You can make use of mesh colander to drain the fat. I will recommend you do not let the fat go down the drain, as there are chances of it clogging your kitchen sinks. Some also choose to save the fat, while it is being drained from the colander for use in some other dish.

An important tip on how to cook ground beef is NOT to add water to the beef, till the above-mentioned procedure is completed. Why, do I say so? Well because water has a tendency to dry out the meat. Similarly it is recommended not to cover the pan, when you are browning it, as steam like water has a tendency to dry out the meat. If you want to add any spices, add them, when you start cooking the beef, so that the flavor is evenly mixed all over the beef. Now that your beef is cooked, you can choose to make the dish of your choice with it. I chose to make meatballs with the beef I had.