12 Cup Ground Beef Cooled 12 Cup Ground Beef Cooked

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 Alice Henneman, MS, RDN, University of Nebraska—Lincoln Lancaster County Extension Educator

Think of how often yous could utilize already-browned and ready-to-go basis beef "crumbles" in recipes such every bit soups and sauces. Hither's how to make your own and keep them frozen for set access! PLUS, iv recipes to get you started!

Tips for Success

1. Ground beef may be browned ahead of time and frozen for quick and user-friendly utilize in spaghetti sauce, chili, sloppy joes, etc. Follow these tips for best season and quality.
2. When making beef crumbles for later on utilise, if possible, avert using iron or aluminum cooking utensils every bit these speed season changes.
3. Brown crumbles with onions or unroasted bell peppers which have antioxidant properties and slow flavor changes. OR, brown the meat, seasoned lightly, with one or more of these herbs and spices that have antioxidant properties: rosemary, sage, marjoram, thyme, mace, allspice and cloves.
4. Use the seasoning and amount that volition be well-nigh suitable for the recipes you lot brand. Add more than seasoning when you prepare the food, if needed, every bit freezing may impact the intensity of the season of spices and herbs.
5. Do non use salt; add common salt afterwards when the meat is used in your recipe. Salt may hasten undesirable flavor changes in beef crumbles.
6. Freezing the crumbles as function of a sauce, such as spaghetti sauce, also helps preserve flavor. Make certain the sauce covers the entire meat surface.
7. Absurd and refrigerate beef crumbles promptly in shallow containers. Containers may be placed in the fridge before beefiness has cooled entirely. Loosely comprehend refrigerated container until beefiness has cooled.
8. Promptly transfer the cooled beef crumbles to plastic "freezer," NOT "storage" numberless. Eliminate air pockets. Freezer bags are thicker than storage bags and will keep the food fresh longer. Characterization and engagement packages; include corporeality of beefiness or number of servings.
9. Speed freezing and hasten thawing past freezing crumbles in a thinner, flattened shape in freezer bags. Do non stack packages -- the quality will be better if the beef freezes faster. A rounded shape takes longer to thaw through to the middle. Flattened packages also will stack ameliorate in your freezer. Identify on a flat surface, such equally a metallic pan or cookie sheet until frozen. Then, remove and stack.
10. Utilize frozen beef crumbles inside 2 to 3 months for best flavor and quality. Freeze at 0 degrees F or lower.

IMPORTANT: Unless y'all plan to use beef crumbles inside a 24-hour interval or two, freeze crumbles promptly after cooling for best quality and safety. If stored in the refrigerator for a day or two, transfer to a tightly covered container after they have cooled.

Bones Directions

1. Use 90% lean and higher ground beefiness for these directions; 16 ounces raw ground beef yields equally to 12 ounces fully cooked ground beef crumbles.
2. In general, brown no more than 1 pound of ground beef at a time. As ground beef browns, some meat juices are released. If you overload the skillet, moisture is trapped and meat is steamed rather than browned.
3. Chocolate-brown lean ground beef in big nonstick skillet over medium oestrus 8 to 10 minutes or until beefiness is not pink, breaking beef upward into 3/4-inch crumbles. Remove beef with slotted spoon.
4. Add one or more of the antioxidant foods and spices listed in number 2 under "Tips for Success" above to the beef as it is browning to aid in flavor retentiveness during freezing. Alice'southward Note: I find information technology nigh versatile and time-saving to add together one chopped medium onion to the beef equally it is browning. So many recipes call for both beef and onions; I've made my life twice as elementary by combining them.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Data on making frozen beef crumbles provided in part by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association on behalf of The Beef Checkoff and by Kaiti Roeder, RD, Nebraska Beef.

About of these recipes can exist prepared either immediately after preparing the ground beef crumbles made with chopped onion and and then frozen; OR, y'all can set up them by using the frozen crumbles directly from the freezer and then swallow them. It depends on how much versatility you desire:

• Would you lot rather make the recipe you want when you lot want it with crumbles straight from the freezer ?
• Or would you like some recipes already prepared and waiting for you lot in the freezer?
• Or, you might just determine to brand these recipes and consume them right away without freezing!

Ground Beef Recipes

• Coney Island Taters
• Sloppy Joes
• Chili with Beans and Beef
• Pasta with Meat Sauce

MICROWAVE TIP: Many of these foods tin be heated in the microwave. Exist careful when removing a lid or plastic wrap from a hot microwaved item. Hot steam escaping from the container as the covering is lifted could cause a burn.

If covering the microwave container with a microwave-safe plastic wrap, follow manufacturers' directions for venting the wrap. Directions ordinarily recommend venting the wrap at a corner or side of the dish and leaving at least an inch of air space betwixt the nutrient and the wrap roofing the dish. NOTE: Foods loftier in fat or sugar should not come up into contact with plastic wrap as they may crusade the wrap to cook.

Coney Island Taters (Makes 4 servings)

Make quick work of this master dish by using one batch of frozen crumbled meat mixture, made with chopped onion, instead of preparing the basis beefiness and onion from scratch. You may demand to rut frozen crumbles longer than the fourth dimension cited in the recipe; heat until steamy hot throughout.

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 loving cup prepared barbecue sauce
• 2 large all-purpose potatoes
• one/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/four cup sliced green onions (optional)

1. In large skillet, chocolate-brown ground beefiness and onion over medium oestrus 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking up into iii/four-inch crumbles. Pour off drippings. Stir charcoal-broil sauce into beef; embrace and simmer over medium-depression heat 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile pierce potatoes in several places with fork. Place on paper towel in microwave oven. Microwave on High 10 to 11 minutes or until tender, rearranging potatoes halfway. TIP: Some potatoes may become tender before this — start checking a few minutes before time is upwardly.
3. Cut potatoes lengthwise into quarters. Cutting each quarter crosswise in half. Adapt 4 pieces potato on each serving plate; top with beef mixture. Sprinkle with cheese; top with green onions, if desired.

Source: Recipe courtesy of National Cattlemen'southward Beef Clan at beefitswhatfordinner.com

Sloppy Joes (Makes 4 to 6 servings)

Fix this recipe for eating right abroad, using ane batch of frozen crumbled meat mixture, made with chopped onion. OR get in right later preparing a fresh batch of the crumbled meat mixture so freeze it. Run into tips following recipe for freezing prepared Sloppy Joes.

• 1 batch make-ahead crumbled beef fabricated from 1-pound lean ground beef and 1 medium chopped onion (need non be thawed)
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon chili pulverisation
• 1/4 teaspoon blackness pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered garlic or ane small clove garlic, minced
• Salt (optional, according to taste)
• one loving cup of no-salt added ketchup (SUBSTITUTE: ane 8-ounce tin can lycopersicon esculentum sauce plus ane tablespoon vinegar, such as cider vinegar, plus 1 tablespoon brown or white sugar tin be substituted for the ketchup
• 1/4 cup water
• four to 6 hamburger buns

1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer, covered, until meat is thawed and heated throughout, about xx minutes; simmering too allows flavors to develop. Stir occasionally. Stir occasionally and add more water if the mixture becomes too thick.
2. Spoon into buns and serve.

Freezing Prepared Sloppy Joe Mixture
(suggested freezer storage time: 1 to 2 months for best quality)freezing in muffin cups

Refrigerate Sloppy Joe mixture in a shallow pan in the refrigerator until cool. Then, freeze the Sloppy Joes according to one of these methods:

• To make private servings: Use one of these methods and freeze portions until firm enough to retain their shape — about 1 to two hours. Then transfer to a re-sealable freezer bag and press out air. (1) Freeze in a muffin tin. You may find it easiest to "pop" the frozen meat mixture from a silicone muffin tin. (ii) OR Freeze in stand up-lone silicone baking cups.
• To freeze a larger amount of meat mixture: Freeze in a freezer bag in the amount you wish to serve. Flatten the freezer bag and printing out air. Spread out in your freezer in unmarried layers on a flat surface until frozen. Then, stack together.
• To thaw: Thaw mixture for nigh 24 hours in the refrigerator. Thaw individual servings in some type of covered container in refrigerator. OR, defrost mixture in your microwave, post-obit manufacturer's directions. If the freezer bag manufacturer doesn't provide specific instructions for defrosting food in their bags in the microwave, transfer the food to a microwave-condom container to thaw. Cook food immediately subsequently microwave-defrosting.
• To reheat: Reheat in a covered saucepan until meat is heated throughout (165 degrees F); stir occasionally. Or reheat, covered, in your microwave in a microwave safe container; stir occasionally. (Run across microwave Tip at beginning of recipe section.)

Chili with Beans and Beefiness (Makes 4 servings)

Fix this recipe for eating correct away, using 1/ii batch of frozen crumbled meat made with chopped onion (need non be thawed). OR make chili right after preparing a fresh batch of the crumbled meat; and so freeze the chili. See freezer tips post-obit the recipe.

• one/2 batch make-ahead crumbled beefiness made with onion (equals 1/2 pound lean footing beef (demand not exist thawed — if the beefiness crumbles bundle is flattened when frozen, it's easy to suspension off about half the meat in the bundle for this recipe).
• 1 tin (fifteen.5 ounces) regular or no-table salt-added kidney beans, tuckered OR 1-1/2 cups cooked dry out kidney beans, cherry-red beans or other bean of your choice (melt beans as instructed on package)
• 1 tin (14.5 ounces) regular or no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder or to taste

1. Mix together all ingredients in a large pot. TIP: If your chili pulverization is a hotter variety, you may want to add together less chili powder; you tin can always add more at the end of cooking.
2. Cover, and simmer for about twenty minutes, until heated throughout. Stir occasionally. Add a little h2o, if needed, to thin the goop.
3. Serve. May summit with shredded cheese if desired.

Freezing Chili with Beans and Beefiness
(suggested freezer storage time: 1 to 2 months for all-time quality)

• To freeze chili: Freeze in a freezer bag in the corporeality y'all wish to serve. Flatten the freezer bag and press out the air. Spread out in your freezer in unmarried layers on a flat surface, until frozen. And so, stack together.
• To thaw: Thaw mixture for about 24 hours in the fridge — place freezer bag on a plate. OR, defrost mixture in your microwave, following manufacturer'due south directions. If the freezer bag manufacturer doesn't provide specific instructions for defrosting nutrient in their bags in the microwave, transfer the food to a microwave-safe container to thaw. Cook food immediately afterwards microwave-defrosting.
• To reheat: Reheat in a covered saucepan over low to medium heat until chili is heated throughout (165 degrees F); stir occasionally. OR reheat, covered, in your microwave in a microwave safe container; stir occasionally. (See microwave tip at starting time of recipe section.)

Pasta with Meat Sauce (Makes four servings)

Prepare this recipe for eating right away, using 1 batch of frozen crumbled meat made with chopped onion (need not be thawed). OR make the sauce right later on preparing a fresh batch of the crumbled meat; and so freeze the pasta meat sauce mixture. Run into freezer tips following the recipe for freezing prepared meat sauce for pasta.

• 1 batch make-alee crumbled beef made from 1-pound lean footing beefiness and 1 medium chopped onion (demand non be thawed)
• one can (xiv.5 ounces) regular or no-salt added diced tomatoes
• 1 can (8 ounces) regular or no-salt added tomato plant sauce
• one teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered garlic or one small clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Table salt (optional, co-ordinate to taste)
• 8 ounces of pasta (macaroni, spaghetti, etc.)

1. Place all ingredients, EXCEPT pasta, in a saucepan and simmer, covered, over low rut until meat is thawed and heated throughout, well-nigh 20 to 30 minutes; simmering besides allows flavors to develop. Stir occasionally. Add together more than h2o if the mixture becomes as well thick.
2. While meat sauce is simmering, prepare 8 ounces of pasta (macaroni, spaghetti, noodles, etc.) according to package directions.
3. Drain pasta; serve topped with meat sauce or mix pasta together with meat sauce before serving.

Freezing Prepared Pasta Meat Sauce
(suggested freezer storage time: i to 2 months for best quality)

• To freeze pasta meat sauce: Freeze in a freezer bag in the amount you wish to serve. Flatten the freezer bag and press out the air. Spread out in your freezer in single layers on a flat surface until frozen. Then, stack together
• To thaw: Thaw mixture for virtually 24 hours in the fridge — identify freezer handbag on a plate. I OR, defrost mixture in your microwave, following manufacturer's directions. If the freezer bag manufacturer doesn't provide specific instructions for defrosting food in their numberless in the microwave, transfer the food to a microwave-prophylactic container to thaw. Cook food immediately subsequently microwave-defrosting.
• To reheat: Reheat in a covered saucepan until sauce is heated throughout (165 degrees F); stir occasionally. OR reheat, covered, in your microwave in a microwave safe container; stir occasionally. (See microwave tip at outset of recipe department.)

NOTE: As you're reheating rather than cooking the pasta sauce in this case, you might start the process of cooking the spaghetti, macaroni, etc. earlier you begin heating the sauce.

Tip for Freezing Pasta

You may prefer the taste and texture of freshly prepared pasta. If you exercise freeze pasta, undercook it slightly and run it nether cold h2o to cool it and stop the cooking process. For best results, freeze pasta separately from the meat sauce in the amount to be served, in a flattened freezer purse from which the air has been pressed out. Spread pasta in freezer in unmarried layers on a flat surface until frozen. Then, stack together.

When heating/reheating the meat sauce for serving, toss in the pasta and finish cooking toward the end of heating the meat sauce. Waiting until the sauce is almost heated helps prevent overcooking the pasta. You may need to add together actress h2o to your sauce if the pasta absorbs some of the liquid.

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Source: https://food.unl.edu/make-ahead-ground-beef-crumbles

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