What comes to mind when we mention ground beef? Most likely hamburgers, meatloaf, meatballs, burritos, tacos, bolognese… It is a favourite for most people because of its versatility. Often times, we have customers asking for tips to best cook ground beef. So, we decided to share them with you.

The most important tip to remember is if you freeze ground beef, don’t cook it before thawing. Freezing turns the natural juice in the beef to ice crystals. If you cook the beef while frozen, chances are you will be draining off the juicy flavour along with the fat. So, plan ahead to let the meat thaw slowly in the refrigerator to give the ice crystals time to melt and redistribute back into the tissue as much as possible.

If you choose to cook crumbled ground beef in a sauce or shepherd’s pie, you can reduce the fat content by rinsing it after browning and before adding to your recipe. Once the meat is cooked, pour into a colander in the sink, and rise with hot water. Make sure to drain all the water. However, for awesome results, try to use fresh ground beef.

Never cook ground beef at a high temperature as it will shrink more. Keep in mind that overcooking will result in a dry, tasteless recipe.