Ground beef recipes

Most recipes work with 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef. Leaner blends are fine, but you may need a little extra oil and gentler heat to keep them moist. The tips also suggest swaps like ground turkey, pork or plant-based crumbles, plus ways to stretch a pound of beef with beans or vegetables when feeding a crowd.

Common questions

What temperature should ground beef be cooked to?

The USDA recommends cooking ground beef to 160F, which is higher than for whole cuts because grinding can spread bacteria throughout the meat. Use an instant-read thermometer in the center of burgers or meatballs. Color is not a reliable indicator, since beef can brown before it is fully safe.

How do I keep ground beef from getting dry?

Use a blend with some fat, such as 80/20 or 85/15, and avoid overcooking. For crumbled beef, let it brown undisturbed for a couple of minutes before breaking it up, then stop once no pink remains. For burgers and meatballs, handle the meat gently, and adding sauce, cheese or a panade of bread and milk helps.

Should I drain ground beef after browning?

It depends on the fat content and the recipe. With 80/20 beef, drain off most of the fat for tacos or pasta sauce, leaving a little for flavor. With lean beef, there is usually nothing to drain. Never pour grease down the sink; let it cool, then throw it away.

How long does raw ground beef last in the fridge?

Raw ground beef keeps for one to two days in the fridge, so cook or freeze it soon after buying. Frozen, it is best used within about four months. Thaw it in the fridge, in cold water, or in the microwave if you are cooking it immediately. Cooked ground beef lasts three to four days refrigerated.