Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Skillet - The Midnight Baker - Easy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long to cook ground beef in a pan? ›

On most stove tops, browning a pound of ground beef takes approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Remember, it's important to continue stirring and breaking the pieces into the same size with the wooden spoon or heatproof spatula so the ground beef cooks evenly.

Choose the right pan

If you're working with a nonstick pan, you may not need to add any additional oil. The natural fat from the ground beef will help the meat brown and prevent it from sticking. If you prefer, you can add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan before adding the beef.

Once the pan is hot, add the meat, and use a spatula to break it up into pieces. Let the meat brown without touching for about five minutes. This gives the meat more contact with the pan, and thus, a better sear. Sprinkle salt and any other spices (like taco seasoning).

Heat the pan and coat with oil.

The oil helps prevent the ground beef from sticking and scorching in the pan, especially if you are using a stainless steel skillet. Use a little extra oil if you're cooking lean beef.

Infrequent stirring ensures that all sides of the beef get a chance to brown evenly. Ground beef cooks very quickly, so don't walk away from your stove. Avoid adding water to the pan unless you want gray, steamed beef.

Break Up the Ground Beef While Cooking: Then start breaking it into smaller pieces with the wooden spoon. Continue to cook, stirring and breaking up the beef into small crumbles, until any moisture from the beef has evaporated and the beef is evenly browned and no longer pink.

Rinsing raw ground beef could pose a health risk by splashing bacteria-filled juices all over your kitchen's surfaces. After the beef has been cooked, you're just rinsing away good flavor. If you want to get rid of some of the grease, drain the beef, but don't rinse it. It's just not necessary.

USDA recommends using cooked beef within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days.

Can I put freshly cooked ground beef in the fridge? ›

How should they be reheated? If ground beef is refrigerated promptly after cooking (within 2 hours; 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F), it can be safely refrigerated for about 3 or 4 days. If frozen, it should keep its quality for about 4 months.

Season ground beef with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, add the beef and chopped onion and brown. Drain excess grease. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, worcestershire, and sugar to the skillet.

Beef tastes great when seasoned with oregano, rosemary, sage, garlic or a combination of these seasonings. Poultry gets an added burst of flavor with spices like paprika, lemongrass and saffron. Fish can be made more flavorful with dry mustard powder, thyme and turmeric.

When it comes to seasoning your ground beef, wait until after it has been browned and drained. Adding salt to raw ground beef pulls out moisture, drying the meat out and creating steam while it cooks, which prevents it from browning properly. The same goes for other seasonings, but for a different reason.

In order to brown, rather than steam, the pan needs to be hot. Adding oil is optional but recommended for better browning. Add the meat to the pan and break it into large pieces. Use a wooden spoon, fish spatula, or other sturdy spatula to break the meat up into large pieces in the pan.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add the ground beef and, using a spatula, press the beef into an even, flat layer in the pan, almost like you're making a big hamburger. Let it cook untouched for 4 minutes. This is what helps create a brown crust.

After you add the ground beef to the hot pan, let it cook untouched for several minutes. Many cooks make the mistake of constantly stirring ground beef as it browns, but this agitation drives moisture out of the meat, creating a tougher texture.