Sometimes the easiest things to cook are the tastiest, and these ground beef recipes are all simple, easy and budget friendly!
Ground beef has a ton of flavor, it’s easy to cook and almost impossible to mess up. Plus, it’s one of the more affordable proteins you can buy, making it very budget friendly. Ground beef can be used in a ton of different recipes from chili to burgers to meatloaf and pairs well with a variety of flavors.
While recipes usually call for simply “ground beef,” a quick trip to the meat department of your local grocery store could leave you feeling completely unsure of what to buy. There are usually 3 different types of ground beef available and they range in fat content from 7 to 30 percent.
I usually use ground chuck because it is always tender and juicy and has great flavor. It runs about 15-20 perfect fat, which can easily be drained off after cooking.
Ground sirloin is the leanest, and ranges from 7 to 10 perfect fat. It is tender and has a good flavor for chilis and spaghetti sauce, but can be a little dry for burgers.
Basic ground beef can have as much as 30 perfect fat, and the flavor suffers for it.
HOW CAN YOU TELL WHEN GROUND BEEF GOES BAD?
Ground beef is usually good for 3-4 days in the fridge before it needs to be cooked or frozen. If it’s beginning to spoil, you will notice a gray or brownish color throughout the meat (not just on the top) and a distinct. foul odor.
CAN YOU FREEZE COOKED GROUND BEEF?
You absolutely can! In fact, you can buy ground beef in bulk, cook it with some onions and garlic and then freeze it in batches so it’s always on hand for making chili, spaghetti, soup and more! In the freezer, ground beef will last about 4 months if properly stored in an airtight container.
Cook ground beef in batches and freeze to always have some on hand for soups, sauces and more.
Add ground beef, diced onion and minced garlic. Break up ground beef with a spoon.
Cook until the onions are translucent and beef is tender; about 7-10 minutes. Drain any extra grease.
Cool meat completely, then portion into freezer bags. I usually will portion 2 1/4 cups of meat per bag, which equals about a pound. Be sure to label with a date - frozen cooked ground beef will last about 3-4 days in the fridge and up to 4 months in the freezer.
Don’t miss my tips for how to portion and freeze raw ground beef so you can thaw it quickly!
I buy ground beef when it’s on sale and cook 5 lbs at a time in my instant pot, drain, then put in 1 and 2 lb increments in Ziploc bags then put as many as I can in a big labeled Ziploc bag and put in the freezer that way I can pull a pack out to thaw for supper and its already cooked!
That’s a great idea Alicia! Thank you!