Ground beef is one of the most commonly-used proteins in U. S. households today. And why not? Its cheap, freezes well, and is relatively easy to cook with. The Cattlemens Beef Board says that ground beef sales in the U.S. far exceed sales of all other cuts and types of beef. S. and accounts for more than $12 billion in sales (as of 2020).
Even the most experienced cooks can learn a few new things about how to handle and cook ground beef. You probably could be doing something a little better with it whether you cook with it often or not at all. You might be looking to get more flavor out of your chili or tacos, or you might want to learn more about what you’re buying. Whatever the reason, weve rounded up some of the best tips for cooking with ground beef.
When shopping for ground beef, we often face a dizzying conundrum of math and percentages. These numbers show the lean-to-fat ratio, which tells you how much lean muscle and fat were ground into the meat. Many people grab whatever is on sale, but thats a common mistake when buying ground beef. It’s very important to follow the recipe exactly so that the final dish has the right texture and taste. The U. S. The total amount of fat allowed by the government is limited to 30%. In a typical grocery store, you can find blends with fat levels ranging from 5% to 25%.
Its also important to keep in mind that fat renders to a liquid (sometimes called grease) once cooked. For example, if you’re going to brown the beef and then drain off all the fat anyway, buy a blend that has the least amount of fat. That way, you wont be throwing away money. Fans of juicy burgers will ideally want to look for a ground beef with around 20% fat.
Ground beef is a versatile ingredient that can be cooked up into burgers, tacos, pasta sauce, and so much more. But when it comes to adding seasoning, there is some debate over when is the right time. Should you season ground beef before or after cooking? After extensive research and testing, I’m breaking down the pros and cons to help you decide.
The Case for Seasoning Before Cooking
Here are some of the reasons why many cooks prefer to season ground beef before it hits the pan or grill
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Maximizes flavor integration – When spices and salt are mixed into the raw beef, they have more opportunity to permeate the meat, rather than just coating the exterior.
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Promotes better binding – Salt helps extract myosin proteins that act as a “glue” to bind the ground beef together more tightly, This is especially helpful for shaping burgers that hold their form
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Forms a crust – Salt on the exterior draws out moisture that evaporates and concentrates flavors, helping achieve a delicious sear.
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Saves time – One less step, since you can season while forming patties or breaking up the meat.
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Less washing up – No need to dirty an extra bowl or surface to season after cooking.
So for cooks who want the seasoning infused throughout the beef for more cohesion and flavor, salting before cooking can be beneficial. The effect is most noticeable with burger patties.
The Case for Seasoning After Cooking
On the other hand, there are some good reasons to wait until after cooking to add seasoning:
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Prevents moisture loss – Salt can draw out moisture before cooking, resulting in drier, overcooked ground beef.
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Avoids steaming – Moisture released while cooking may hinder browning and lead to steaming instead.
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Allows better draining – With no salt mixed in, more fat can be drained off after cooking.
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Gives more control – You can taste and adjust seasoning after seeing the cooked results.
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Keeps options open – Plain cooked ground beef is versatile for use in various seasoned recipes.
So for cooks wanting the juiciest, most evenly browned beef, salting after cooking may be preferable. This approach also allows adjusting the flavors to taste.
Examining the Evidence
To settle this debate, I decided to test it out by cooking multiple seasoned and unseasoned ground beef batches side-by-side. Here is what I found:
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The pre-salted beef lost more moisture while cooking, leading to a drier texture.
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The unseasoned beef achieved better browning with less grayness.
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Both had very subtle seasoning flavor throughout – post-salted beef was not noticeably less seasoned.
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Draining was easier with the unseasoned cooked beef, yielding more released fat.
Based on these results, I conclude that seasoning after cooking is best for most ground beef uses. The cooked texture and sear were superior when salt was added at the end. The flavor penetration benefit of pre-salting was negligible.
However, I’d make an exception when making burger patties. Here, the binding and crust benefits of salting the raw beef outweighed the moisture downsides. Just be very gentle when handling the delicate seasoned patties.
Seasoning Tips for Maximum Flavor
While post-cooking seasoning is ideal for most recipes, here are some tips to amp up the flavor:
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Brown thoroughly – The flavor-concentrating Maillard reaction requires high heat and dry exterior surfaces.
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Salt generously – Use up to 1/2 tsp kosher salt per pound of cooked ground beef for well-seasoned flavor.
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Layer flavors – Incorporate umami ingredients like tomato paste, mushrooms, soy sauce, etc.
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Finely mince aromatics – Onions, garlic, herbs release more flavor when finely chopped and mixed throughout.
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Let sit briefly – Allow seasoned meat to rest 5-10 minutes for flavors to permeate.
With the right techniques, you can achieve incredibly flavorful ground beef without pre-salting. The key is layering tastes and seasoning boldly.
The Verdict
While the debates wages on, my choice is clear when making most ground beef recipes: season after cooking for the juiciest texture and best sear. The flavor difference is negligible compared to the textural downsides of salting beforehand.
However, when making burgers, I do recommend salting the raw patties to help bind and give that delicious crust. Just handle them gently and don’t overwork the seasoned meat.
At the end of the day, trust your preferences! Taste tests can settle the season-when debates, but your palate is the ultimate decider. Cook and season your ground beef in the way that makes you happiest.
Learn the difference between grass-fed and grain-fed
Looking beyond just fat ratio and quality, theres another important aspect to consider when purchasing ground beef. The type of food consumed by cattle before its turned into meat can affect the final flavor and even its texture. Some beef is raised consuming grass while other rely on grain. Therefore, grass-fed beef must be derived from cattle that feeds on grass pastures in order to earn the designation.
Grass-fed beef may have less overall fat, but its much richer in flavor. On the other hand, grain-fed beef has more overall fat, or marbling, and can taste juicier. Some types of beef are marketed as “grass-finished” or “grain-finished,” which refers to what the animal consumed in the last few weeks or months of its life. These choices can definitely have a cost difference, but sometimes high-quality beef finds its way into regularly priced ground beef.
“Browning the meat” is a direction commonly found in recipes using ground beef. Some recipes have more detail than others about how to achieve this, but what does it mean when beef turns brown? No, were not talking about the natural process that occurs when raw beef is exposed to air (thats called oxidation). According to The Washington Post, all beef will turn brown when subjected to heat due to a chemical reaction that occurs within certain molecules in the meat. Simply cooking ground beef in a pan will achieve this step and produce an adequate result for any recipe that calls for browning ground beef.
However, to truly get the most flavor possible out of ground beef recipes, what you really want to do is sear the meat. It produces that dark brown, crispy texture that youve probably enjoyed with a great burger or steak. You can achieve this by getting your pan super hot and adding the beef all at once without breaking it up. Wait until the meat is deeply browned and crisp on one side before flipping, then break it all up with a spoon. Make sure you dont crowd the pan with too much beef at once (use batches if necessary) and remove as much moisture as possible before starting. Moisture prevents the browning process (called the Maillard reaction) as water turns to steam at a lower temperature than the reaction occurs.
Make sure it’s cooked to your preference
For recipes like chili, bolognese, or tacos, youll be browning your beef and cooking it completely through. Some of the saucier recipes will even simmer the meat until its completely tender. If youre cooking ground beef this way, you wont have to worry about hitting a certain internal temperature. You’re good to go as long as you break up the beef and brown it until the inside is no longer pink.
On the flip side, for recipes like hamburgers or meatloaf, things can get a bit more tricky. The USDA recommends cooking all ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 F. Of course, plenty of people enjoy their burgers cooked medium or medium-rare, which is closer to 130-145 F. Texture or firmness isnt a great indicator of doneness, and the best way to know what the internal temperature is for certain is to use a meat thermometer.
Before you start cooking with ground beef, there are a few important things you should know about how to handle it safely so that you don’t get sick. Ground beef has more surface area than whole cuts of meat, and it is sometimes made from parts of different animals. This means that it is more likely to get contaminated and go bad.
The USDA says that you don’t have to rinse beef before cooking it, but you should keep it in the fridge at 40 F and eat it within one or two days of buying it. If you cant, you can freeze it safely before cooking. Look for signs that your beef has gone bad, like a slimy texture or a sour, rancid smell. Iron can make beef a little brown sometimes, but you should throw it away if it starts to look more grayish-brown or has mold on it.
When cooking or browning beef in a pot or a pan, the fat will render and liquify. When cooking with ground beef, it’s important to know how to get rid of this liquid fat, which is sometimes called grease. A really big reason why you should never put grease down your kitchen sink (or any other drain in your home) makes it seem like nothing is wrong. In the same way that fat liquifies when it gets hot, it solidifies when it cools down. If you pour fat down the drain, it will coat the pipes and make them clog up. This could cause you to have to pay a lot of money for plumbing repairs in the future.
There are a lot of ways to safely dispose of the grease — from spooning it into a bowl before throwing it away to soaking it up with paper towels. Whatever way you choose, make sure to cool it down before throwing it away. Hot liquid fat can melt the plastic of your garbage bag.
Assuming you havent made a mistake and frozen your ground beef improperly, when it comes time to cook, youll have to thaw it. If youre in a hurry, you might be tempted to throw it right in the pan and defrost it that way, but theres a reason why you shouldnt. The thawing ice crystals in the frozen beef can quickly melt and interrupt the browning process as well as drain away a lot of the flavor. The best way to thaw it is to let it happen slowly in the refrigerator overnight.
Another thing that can help you thaw ground beef is to freeze it the right way. Make sure the beef is exposed to air as little as possible. And if it comes from the store already vacuum-sealed, leave it that way. Also, before you freeze it, you can cut it up into smaller, easier-to-handle pieces so that you don’t have to thaw a huge chunk at once.
How to cook ground beef for maximum flavor | I bet you didn’t know this!
FAQ
Is it better to season ground meat before or after cooking?
Do you season beef before cooking?
Should I season taco meat before or after browning?
Do you add seasoning before or after browning meat?
Should you season ground beef before cooking?
When making burgers, we season the beef beforehand. Otherwise, they won’t stick to the meat. You can also add salt and pepper to ground beef during browning when you’re making a batch for the freezer. Recipes for ground beef tacos and meat sauces, meanwhile, often recommend adding the seasoning after the meat is cooked.
Ground beef vs Ground round: Which is healthier?
Ground round is better than ground beef because of less fat content as compared to ground beef. It can be used in soups and hamburgers. Beef falls into red meats and is high in cholesterol and saturated fats which are unhealthy for heart and even for diabetic patients. Lean meats like chicken and fish which are used skinless in soups and curries are better option than red meats.
Should you season meat after cooking?
After the meat is browned and the vegetables are tender, drain the excess grease from the pan, then add tomato sauce and seasonings. Seasoning the meat after cooking works in this case because you’re going to be simmering the mixture for a long time over low heat.
Do you let ground beef rest before cooking?
Let the ground beef rest: After seasoning, let the ground beef rest for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This allows the seasonings to fully absorb into the meat. Seasoning ground beef is a culinary skill that takes practice and experimentation.