Batch cook ground beef in slow cooker

#MiddleburyCT #BatchCook #GroundBeef

Imagine spending just a few minutes preparing ground beef, stepping away, then returning to find perfectly cooked, flavorful meat ready to use. Batch-cooking hamburger in a slow cooker saves time, money and sanity, giving you tender, ready-to-season beef without hours in the kitchen.

Skeptical? You’re not alone. You might wonder, “It won’t be browned – will it taste good?” Trust me, you’re in for a tasty surprise! The beef emerges juicy and fully cooked. If browning matters, simply crisp it quickly in a skillet before using. But honestly, once mixed into soups or casseroles, no one can tell – it just tastes great and saves so much time. Try it once, and you’ll wonder why you waited so long!

Slow Cooker Batch-Cooked Ground Beef

Yield: 12 cups
Total Time: 3 to 5 hours (mostly unattended)

5 pounds ground beef (85% lean / 15% fat)
1 cup beef broth or water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
2 tablespoons dried minced onion

Place ground beef in slow cooker, breaking into chunks. Pour broth or water over meat, sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper and seasonings. You can adjust the seasoning later when using the beef in specific recipes to suit your taste preferences.

Cover; cook on high 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on low 4 to 5 hours. Once cooked through, carefully drain excess fat and liquid. Break meat into crumbles.

Cool before portioning into airtight containers or freezer bags. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Now that you’ve got all this delicious, precooked beef, you might be wondering – what tasty meals can I create with it? Here are some easy, crowd-pleasing recipes to get you started.

Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce

Yield: 4 servings
Total Time: 20 minutes

Delicious pasta sauce comes together quickly with batch-cooked beef. (www.JasonCoblentz.com)

12 ounces spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced, optional
2 cups cooked ground beef
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 jar (24 ounce) marinara sauce
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain and set aside. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onion for 3 minutes, add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Saute mushrooms with the onion mixture. Add cooked ground beef to the skillet; heat through. Season with salt and pepper and Italian seasoning. Pour in marinara sauce; stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Toss the cooked spaghetti with the meat sauce. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole

Yield: 4 servings
Total Time: 25 minutes

2 cups cooked ground beef
3 cups cooked rice
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sour cream and chopped cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, rice, black beans, salsa, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a greased 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and chopped cilantro.

What else can you make? Use precooked beef in tacos, sloppy Joes, chili, pizza toppings, quesadillas or hearty salads. Quick meals just became effortless! Enjoy your extra free time. Until next time – keep it fabulous, keep it frugal and savor every bite.

Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com

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