Learn how to brown ground beef, even when it’s still frozen with this easy skillet method!
We all have those times when we forget to defrost the meat for dinner, but with this simple recipe, anyone can make browned ground beef or even pork, chicken, or turkey from frozen.
Why Brown Ground Beef?
- It’s the perfect quick and easy meat to use as a taco filling, for soups and stews, or to add to an oven-baked casserole or pasta.
- It can be seasoned to taste and used for batch cooking or make-ahead meals!
- Browned ground beef is a great source of protein and iron, and it’s economical and super versatile.
Choosing the Best Ground Beef
Ground beef ranges in fat content from extra lean all the way to full-fat varieties. Ground beef with a higher fat content is more flavorful but needs to be drained before adding to recipes.
For super tasty meat, try using grass-fed beef which is said to have more nutrition in it as well!
This recipe works well with frozen ground chicken, turkey, pork, or even lamb.
How to Brown Ground Beef from Frozen
It doesn’t take long to make dinner with this easy method.
- Heat oil in a large skillet.
- Add frozen ground beef and allow it to cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip, then scrape off the cooked bits of meat, then cook the other side.
- Continue cooking, flipping, and scraping beef until it can be broken up easily.
- Add onions, garlic, and seasoning, and continue cooking as per the recipe below.
Best Tips for Browning Ground Beef
- If using extra lean or lean ground beef, no draining is necessary, but if cooking beef with a higher fat content, be sure to drain the excess fat from the pan after cooking. (Use a fat separator so you can add any juices that are poured off, back to the pan!)
- Ground beef can also be cooked from frozen in an Instant Pot or even a Crock Pot. Just be sure it reaches a safe cooking temperature of 160°F.
Recipes with Ground Beef
How to Brown Ground Beef from Frozen
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or oil of your choice
- ½ cup onion diced, optional
- 1 clove garlic minced, optional
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat with oil.
- Add frozen ground beef and allow to cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Flip the beef over and scrape the cooked beef off the block. Move it to the side of the pan.
- Continue cooking, flipping, and scraping until the block is small enough to chop into pieces.
- If desired, add onions and garlic to the beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are soft.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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