You’re going to like this, but I can tell you with about 75% certainty that even though you think you’re cooking your ground beef right, you probably aren’t.
It’s a big claim, but the truth is that people cook ground beef but don’t brown it, which is what you should do. There’s a thin line between “eh, it’s dinner” and “holy cow, this is the best ground beef recipe ever!” when it comes to recipes.
We even called this post “how to cook ground beef” because most home cooks don’t know that it needs to be browned and have a good crust. Nope, it doesn’t dry out, in fact, it helps it retain those precious juices and flavor.
Even more truth: most recipes for ground beef that say to brown it don’t really tell you how to do it right. Forget everything you thought you knew about hamburger meat. Let’s learn the right way to brown ground beef so that it has crispy edges and a juicy center.
Ground beef is a versatile ingredient used in many classic dishes like burgers, tacos, meatballs, and more When cooking with ground beef, a common question is when to add seasoning – before or after cooking? Both approaches have some logic behind them, so let’s explore the pros and cons of each method.
The Case for Seasoning Ground Beef Before Cooking
Here are some of the reasons why you may want to season ground beef prior to cooking
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Flavors soak into the meat—Salt, spices, and herbs have time to get into the beef, which makes the flavor more evenly distributed.
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Enhances texture – Salt helps dissolve some of the proteins in the meat, resulting in a softer, more tender texture.
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Starts the browning process—Salt pulls out water, which lets the meat brown faster for better flavor and caramelization.
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Marinates the meat—Letting the beef sit for a while lets the seasonings soak into it before cooking.
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No extra steps – Seasoning ahead means your ground beef is ready to cook immediately.
If you want robust seasoning and tender meat, pre-seasoning may be beneficial.
Reasons to Season Ground Beef After Cooking
On the flip side, here are some advantages to seasoning ground beef after it is cooked:
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Retains moisture – No risk of dry, dense meat from salt pulling out moisture prematurely.
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Avoids uneven cooking – Seasoning later prevents overcooked spots from added moisture.
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Allows better browning – Leaving the meat unseasoned leads to better sear and caramelization.
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Adjusts to taste preferences – You can tweak and balance seasoning after tasting the cooked beef.
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Prevents over-seasoning – Some seasonings intensify after cooking, so you can be cautious with amounts.
Holding off on seasoning gives you more control over the cook and final flavors.
Best Practices for Seasoning Ground Beef
Whichever method you choose, here are some tips for success:
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If seasoning before, mix gently to avoid overworking the meat.
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Cook in batches for the best browning when seasoning in advance.
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To retain juiciness when seasoning before, add a splash of water to the pan.
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For after seasoning, reserve and mix juices released back into the beef after cooking.
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Taste and adjust seasoning just before serving to perfect the flavors.
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For burgers, wait to add salt until after shaping patties to avoid density.
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Use any marinades or wet mixtures after cooking to avoid altering texture.
Sample Methods Based on Dish Being Prepared
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Tacos: Season with dry spices like cumin and chili powder after browning and draining for customizable flavor.
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Meatloaf or meatballs: Mix in egg, breadcrumbs, and bold dry seasonings prior to shaping and baking for well-distributed seasoning.
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Burgers: Sprinkle patties with salt and pepper just before or after cooking to maximize juiciness.
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Pasta sauce: Cook beef with minimal seasoning first, then add Italian seasoning, garlic, etc. at the end.
The Final Verdict
At the end of the day, the choice between seasoning ground beef before or after cooking comes down to personal preference and the specific dish being prepared. You can’t go wrong as long as you use a light hand and taste at the end to adjust flavor. Don’t be afraid to play around and figure out which method works best for you!
Why is Browning Important
We talked at length about the maillard reaction, which is also known as browning, in another post. This changes the food on a molecular level by creating acidic, and with it, oodles of flavor. It also helps things like meat stay nice and tender. It is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its unique taste, according to Wikipedia. ”.
But the maillard reaction can happen with nearly any food, not just meat. Think about browning a marshmallow or vegetables, the char you get from a grill, all of these count!.
This is what a lot of people call hamburger meat, but ground beef is great for a lot more than just hamburgers and spaghetti sauce. You do need some fat to brown well, so when I’m asked to brown, I choose an 80/20 blend. If you are cooking lean beef, you will need to add a little oil to help make that beautiful crust and flavor.
Ground beef flavor can also vary greatly depending on what cut it was ground from. A ground sirloin will taste better than a standard package, which is usually made up of different cuts that were thrown away. As long as there is enough fat, browning any kind of beef will add flavor and make it more tender. It also helps it get nice and hot. For natural flavors to come through in a good product, salt is all you need. But garlic powder, onion powder, chile powder, and other spice blends are great for taking it to the next level.
If you use a meat that is naturally low in fat, like turkey, chicken, or lamb, you might want to add a teaspoon or two of a neutral oil.
Cast iron is hands down the best way to brown nearly any type of meat. You need a skillet that gets super hot and does so evenly. Stainless steel is a close second, but will likely require a tiny bit of oil to prevent sticking. Non-stick and aluminum are not recommended for browning.
The size of the pan is also crucial. How many times have we told someone to “don’t crowd the pan” when they were cooking something? The same goes for browning meat. If it’s crammed in too closely, the food’s moisture will leak out and hit the food next to it, stopping it from browning but making it steam. Now you have a kind of beige lump of chewiness instead of a perfectly browned and tasty piece of meat.
I try to use a 10 or 12-inch pan for 1 pound of ground meat. If I have more, I work in batches.
How to Brown Ground Beef
The best places to brown meat are on the stove and sometimes on the grill, not in a crock pot, instant pot, or oven.
- To brown meat, you need to get it ready. Remember that moisture is your enemy. Before you cook raw meat, make sure it’s no longer frozen and let it sit at room temperature for 30. The goal is to make the meat hotter and drier at the same time. If it’s really wet, use paper towels to dry the outside. Furthermore, if you really want to brown the meat, you can leave it out in the fridge for several hours to dry the top even more. I like to work with a pound of ground beef at a time.
- Heat the pan. If your cast iron skillet has been used before, you probably won’t need any extra oil. If you are using oil, heat it in the pan too. Before adding the meat, heat the pan over medium-high heat until it’s nice and hot.
- Add the beef to the hot pan. Some people like to break it up here, but I leave it alone like a big brick. The reason is that steam is bad, and the more you break it up, the more liquid it gives off and the more steam you make. So I do it in stages to keep the steam under control.
- Now comes the tough part, but I believe you can handle it. LET IT SIT. Do not move it, flip it, or touch it. For the meat to do its thing, it needs to press against the hot pan for a long time. Let is sit for 4-5 minutes. I know, this is torture.
- The meat should be browned and a little crispy, not just golden brown. I want it to be brown. Use a wooden spoon, spatula, or slotted spoon to lift a corner and check. Break the brick into smaller pieces and flip them. Follow the same instructions for the other side.
- Now start breaking the four pieces apart, but don’t move them around the pan. Instead, let each piece touch the pan briefly after it breaks. You can carefully drain off some of the fat from one edge or drain it all in a colander and then put it back into the skillet.
- After the beef is well-browned and completely dry, you can add salt or other spices to taste. You can add a little water, wine, or beef broth to dry spices to help them stick to the browned meat better if they are hard to spread out evenly. Otherwise, use it in the recipe it was made for, like a meat sauce or for taco night!
If thawed and blotted so the surface area is dry, yes. But it would be hard to brown any kind of still-frozen meat because the moist air would make the cooking uneven if the outside was done but the inside was still frozen.
Oh goodness, don’t get me started. Not at the beginning when most recipes tell you too, especially if it is salt. Salt draws out moisture, which creates steam and prevents browning. If you add other kinds of herbs and spices, they might turn brown in the pan while they’re being seared. I highly recommend adding them at the end, which your beef is nice and crispy. But now it is dry and dry spice blends have a hard time distributing evenly. Feel free to add a small amount of moisture here since the browning has already happened. Adding a tablespoon of water, beef broth, or wine to the big skillet will help the meat get crispy.
You can! The meat will keep some of the flavor it got from browning, but it will probably lose its crispiness when it gets to the fridge. Store in an airtight container. Do not put it in the microwave. Instead, heat some oil in a skillet and brown it a bit more. You’ll need the oil since most of the fat was used in the first browning sessions. Also, taste for seasoning. Salt and other spices tend to become muted when chilled and require a little sprucing while reheating.
You sure can! Freeze it in an airtight freezer bag for up to 4 months. Each bag should have as little air in it as possible, and it should be put in the back of the freezer. After thawing, revive using the reheating instructions above.
No matter what you do, if you skip this step, the recipe won’t taste the way you want it to. Also, if you end up not getting the perfect brown- all is not lost.
It happens from time to time- different packages have more or less moisture and then just go awry. But all is not lost. Browning creates acid, so add a little acid into the recipe. Common pairings for beef recipe include Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, wine, vinegars or more garlic and onion.
It doesn’t matter if you use cubed chicken or beef, steaks, or meatballs in your ground meat recipes; the idea is the same. Anything, really!.
You can, as long as those other things don’t contain moisture. Avoid trying to saute onions or garlic while you are browning meats. Do it in stages and then add them together at the end.
If there is too much liquid in the pan, your chances of browning are gone. Instead, pour all of the meat into a colander and drain it. Transfer it back to the hot skillet and go from there. Do this as many times as you need to make sure it isn’t pooling. This will happen with some lower-quality meats, but it doesn’t mean they won’t taste good in the long run. It just adds a few more steps and roadblocks.
The short answer is no, so don’t shoot the messenger! Even on high, slow cookers never get hot enough to make the chemical reaction happen. The high sides also trap excess moisture. If you cook the ground meat in a slow cooker or instant pot, it won’t be truly browned, but that doesn’t mean your recipe will be bad.
Yes and no. If you already cook ground beef, you can make it look like it’s browning by putting it under the broiler and letting it char a bit. It isn’t quite the same, but close.
According to the CDC, ground beef should be an internal temperature of 160°F. Any ground meat has more surface space and thus presents a higher risk for the yuckies. Handle carefully, wash your hands and cook fully. I am a lover of rare beef, but this is not the time to put that into play!.
How To Cook Ground Beef
FAQ
Should you season ground beef before or during cooking?
Is it better to season meat before or after cooking?
Do you add seasoning before or after browning meat?
Should you season ground beef before cooking?
When making burgers, we season the beef beforehand. Otherwise, they won’t stick to the meat. You can also add salt and pepper to ground beef during browning when you’re making a batch for the freezer. Recipes for ground beef tacos and meat sauces, meanwhile, often recommend adding the seasoning after the meat is cooked.
Ground beef vs Ground round: Which is healthier?
Ground round is better than ground beef because of less fat content as compared to ground beef. It can be used in soups and hamburgers. Beef falls into red meats and is high in cholesterol and saturated fats which are unhealthy for heart and even for diabetic patients. Lean meats like chicken and fish which are used skinless in soups and curries are better option than red meats.
Should you season meat after cooking?
After the meat is browned and the vegetables are tender, drain the excess grease from the pan, then add tomato sauce and seasonings. Seasoning the meat after cooking works in this case because you’re going to be simmering the mixture for a long time over low heat.
How do you season ground beef?
The secret to a perfectly seasoned ground beef lies in balancing the different flavors. Here are some tips: Start with a base of salt and pepper: Season the ground beef generously with salt and pepper to enhance its natural flavor. Add aromatic spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika provide depth and complexity to the dish.