We eat a LOT of ground beef in our house (4+ pounds a week at least) - it’s one of the cheapest & easiest proteins. Plus, it’s packed with nutrients I always talk to clients about, like zinc for skin, iron and B12 for energy, and protein to keep blood sugar stable.

But it does take a bit of effort to make plain old ground beef taste good - nobody wants gray and soggy meat!

Here are a few tips to make ground beef perfectly textured and full of flavor.

The biggest thing to avoid is steaming the meat. I drain it/pat it dry before cooking, get the pan hot, and pour off excess moisture and fat as it cooks (a little is fine!). I add a maximum of 2lbs to a large skillet so the pan doesn’t get crowded (crowding will lead to steaming).

My 3 tips for tastier ground beef

1. SEAR AS PATTIES FIRST. Shape each pound into about 4 rough patties (they do NOT have to be pretty) and lay them in a hot pan. Then LEAVE them alone until a deep crust forms, flip, sear the other side, and break it up. That browned crust comes from the Maillard reaction, and it’s where all the rich flavor comes from. This works best with fattier blends like 80/20 or 85/15, but also 90/10.
2. SALT AT THE VERY END. Salt pulls moisture out of the meat, so if you add it early, the meat ends up simmering in liquid instead of browning... make sure to season once it’s crumbled and cooked through.
3. ADD BAKING SODA (if you have time). Dissolve 1/4 tsp baking soda in 1 Tbsp water, mix it into 1 lb of uncooked ground beef, and let it sit 15 minutes. It raises the pH so the proteins don’t tighten up and squeeze out their juices, which leads to more tender, juicy meat. I only do this one when I’m not scrambling to throw dinner together... (it sounds so weird but it works!)

What type of beef to buy

I go for grass-fed, grass-finished beef whenever I can, since it tends to have a better omega-3 to omega-6 balance and more fat-soluble nutrients. I like Wild Pastures, especially because they sell a 90/10 blend and a Primal Blend (which contains organ meats!).

Save this email if you cook a lot of ground beef, and forward it to the person who’s still steaming their gray ground beef…!

In health,

-Daina

​​

​tabletocrave.com​

Forward this email to anyone who would benefit 💌

Forwarded this email? Sign up HERE to get future emails directly to your inbox.

This email includes affiliate links. I may be compensated through these links.