perfect ground meat

Serves 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 to 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 to 15 minutes

• Cooking fat, as needed
• 1 pound ground meat

Ground meat (beef, bison, buffalo, lamb, chicken, or turkey) is one of the easiest proteins to whip up in a hurry, and it’s incredibly versatile. The trick is using the right amount of cooking fat in your pan, and experimenting with different seasoning combinations to change the flavor of your meal so you don’t get bored.

Place a large pan on medium heat. Add the cooking fat to the pan, if necessary, and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the ground meat to the pan, breaking it up into large chunks with a spatula or wooden spoon. As the meat starts to brown, continue to break the meat up into smaller and smaller pieces, stirring so the meat cooks evenly. Cook until the meat is browned through and no pink remains, 7 to 10 minutes.

Remove the meat from the pan with either a slotted spoon (to leave some fat in the pan), or a large spoon (to enjoy the added fat with your meat).

✪General rule of thumb: The leaner the meat, the more cooking fat you want to use in the pan.

• Ground beef, 80 percent lean: no cooking fat required
• Ground lamb: no cooking fat required
• Ground beef, 85 to 90 percent lean: 1 tablespoon of cooking fat per pound
• Ground chicken thigh: 1 tablespoon of cooking fat per pound
• Ground beef, 95 percent lean: 2 tablespoons of cooking fat per pound
• Ground bison/buffalo: 2 tablespoons of cooking fat per pound
• Ground chicken breast: 2 tablespoons of cooking fat per pound
• Ground turkey: 2 tablespoons of cooking fat per pound

It’s also a good idea to double the amount of ground meat you cook with dinner and transfer half (unseasoned) to a storage container to refrigerate, so you can make a totally different lunch or dinner tomorrow with the leftovers! For example, you could use half the ground beef to make our Stuffed Peppers for dinner tonight, then reheat the rest of the ground beef and top with Salsa, Guacamole, and a drizzle of Ranch Dressing for an easy lunch tomorrow.

You can also make your ground meat an easy one-pot meal by cooking the meat, transferring it to a holding dish when it’s browned, then cooking a mix of vegetables in the fat that’s left in the pan. When the vegetables are done, return the meat to the pan, stir to reheat and combine, and serve, topped with your favorite dressing or sauce.

✪Pro Tip Try a variety of seasonings to change the flavor of your dish.

Mexican: ½ teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ⅛ teaspoon paprika, and sprinkle with minced cilantro.

Asian: 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Italian: Our Tomato Sauce, or add 1 tablespoon pre-mixed Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of freshly minced herbs (oregano, thyme, or basil), ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Thai: Our Curry Sauce

BBQ: Our BBQ Sauce