How To Cook and Brown Ground Beef

• servings: 3 cups

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vegetable oil or bacon fat (optional)

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Spices (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or bacon fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat. The oil helps prevent the ground beef from sticking and scorching in the pan, especially if you are using a stainless steel skillet. Use a little extra oil if you're cooking lean beef. You can omit this step if you want to avoid the extra fat, but pay close attention to the meat during the first few minutes of cooking to ensure it doesn't burn.

Step 2

Add 1 1/2 pounds ground beef to the center of the hot pan. Use a stiff spatula to break the meat into a few large pieces. Let the meat brown without moving it for 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 3

Break the ground beef into smaller and smaller pieces with your spatula. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and any spices you are using. Do not stir continuously, instead let it cook for a minute between each stir to let the moisture evaporate and allow the meat to brown.

Step 4

The beef has finished when it is evenly browned and shows no signs of pink. Break open a few of the larger crumbles to make sure that it has browned all the way through.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition

• Serving Size: Serves 8
• Calories: 221 cal
• Total Fat: 17.6 g
• Saturated Fat: 6.5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 173.8 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0 g
• Total Sugars: 0 g
• Protein: 14.6 g