Last night, I finally tried it with a little over a pound of ground meat I needed to use up. Cook’s Illustrated explains how baking soda alkalizes the surface of the meat, hampering the proteins' bonds and making the meat more tender. Fresh ground beef is usually cool to the touch, smooth, and slightly damp. What's going on? But ground beef that's starting to go bad can feel slimy, tacky, or sticky. When raw, it is all squishy and speckled, and more often than not, cooking it just transforms the pink, soft stuff into grey, nubby stuff. I often drain and use the juice from a can of tomatoes that is part of the recipe anyway. I often drain and use the juice from a can of tomatoes that is part of the recipe anyway. Cook as usual. If your ground beef is extra fatty, gently wash off any remaining fat or grease. However, I can't figure out why when I cook ground beef in a pan it always has a chewy texture. Many people love this method, but some complain that even after rinsing, a vaguely alkaline taste remains. Even after somewhat excessive fiddling and stirring, the beef bits developed a deep, brown crust, and the usual pool of liquid was reduced to a mere puddle. I sprinkled about a third of a teaspoon of baking soda over the meat, gave it a toss, left it alone for 15 minutes, then cooked it in a pan over medium-high heat. Ground meats like beef and lamb are the stars of many culinary delights such as tacos, meat sauces. Beans, potatoes, vegetables, and pasta can all go into hearty and delicious soups made with ground beef. Thoroughly cooked cereals, such as oatmeal and cream of rice or wheat, are an excellent source of grain for seniors when they're cooked to a soft consistency. Ground beef is perfect for more than just chili. I will definitely be trying this next week. Air in the bag will cause freezer burn eventually, so remove as much air from the freezer bag as possible and use the ground beef within about 3 to 4 months. Why does this work? A 6 month old’s hand movement ability is quite limited and they can’t pick up small pieces of food. Fresh ground beef may have a mild iron smell, but if it starts to smell rotten (beef tends to get a funky sweet odor), you should err on the side of caution and throw it out. The spices will definitely drown out any potential odd flavor imparted by the baking soda. The meat type can vary, and the ingredients can be different from the traditional ones. As we enter chili and casserole season, it's time to learn how to properly brown this stuff. Meatballs. It's ideal for many other kinds of soup, too! This is a good choice for most culinary purposes. It’s called “sodium bicarbonate,” but is known to most as “baking soda,” and adding it to your ground beef helps keep it tender while also speeding up the browning process. Drain off any excess liquid, then use simmered ground beef as the basis for numerous savory dishes, such as chili, sloppy joes, beef enchiladas or tacos. This can be mitigated by leaving it alone and letting the meat develop a nice sear before breaking it up into little bits, but even that doesn’t help lessen the loss of moisture one usually sees when cooking ground beef. Beef actually has the longest shelf life of most ground meats and, assuming it wasn't purchased past its use by date and is freshly ground, should stay fresh in the fridge for five to seven days. However, the basics of a hamburger patty recipe stays the same.We are taking coarse ground beef with 15% fat content. Results in a softer meat with no clumping. Season the meat well with salt, pepper, onion and a bit of garlic, as desired. Ground beef is made out of “trimmings,” which are pieces of beef that are trimmed off a primal cut to make the slice of beef look more desirable in the meat counter. Ready in just 20 minutes, this versatile meat is perfect to fill tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tostadas, empanadas or whatever your heart desires.. Easy Eggless Meatloaf, Bolognese Sauce and Easy Shepherd’s Pie are some of my favorite recipes that use ground beef. Most ground beef you find at the supermarket has a beef to fat ratio of 85/15. (If you’ve ever cooked a mass of meat for a sauce or chili, you know the pool of liquid I am referring to.). When browning ground beef (or pork), add about 1/2 cup of tomato juice or sauce per pound to the raw meat. For even longer storage, consider a vacuum sealer system. 5.2 g If you have a meat grinder, you can take it to the next level by turning tough cuts into tender ground meats. Grain Options. 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