How to Cook Ground Beef for Pasta Epicurious
The Sunday Stash is a large batch of one simple, easy-to-make food that can be mix-and-matched with meat, vegetables, grains, and pasta to create meals throughout the week (or, if frozen, the month).
This month's Sunday Stash solves one of those nagging cooking problems parents of small children might be familiar with: cooked ground beef is great to have on hand, but annoying to make in large amounts. All those batches! All that splatter! All that clean-up!
But after experimenting with several methods that don't necessitate painstakingly browning one pound of beef at a time, Epicurious food editor Anna Stockwell developed a simple, time-saving stovetop technique to make 4 pounds of meat in one pot. She browns the first two pounds without removing them from the pot, then adds the remaining two pounds of beef to the pot, stirring over medium until all the meat is cooked through. The browned bits get scattered throughout the beef, giving every bite just the right hint of smoky char, and the whole thing only takes about 25 minutes to make.
Since the meat is seasoned so simply—just salt!—it can be divided up and used in an endless number of family-friendly dishes. Here are 11 of our favorites:
1. Stuffed Peppers or Eggplant
Stuff bell peppers or eggplant with a mixture of cooked beef, sautéed onions and garlic, cooked rice or other grains, diced tomatoes, and spices or herbs. Top with cheese and bake at 375°F until the peppers or eggplant have softened, 45 minutes to an hour.
2. Larb-Inspired Lettuce Cups
Spoon ground beef into lettuce leaves and serve with a simple dipping sauce along with scallions, mint, basil, and crushed peanuts.
3. Hummus Bowls
Reheat beef in a little vegetable oil with a pinch each of cinnamon, coriander, and black pepper. Serve over hummus topped with a lemony tomato salad.
4. Pasta, Pasta, Pasta
The simplest version: add cooked meat to gently simmering marinara and stir to combine. Serve. Slightly more interesting version: add meat to a cinnamon-infused tomato sauce, toss with cooked pasta, top with feta, and bake at 350° until heated through, about 10 minutes.
5. Meat Pies
Fill squares of store-bought puff pastry with ground beef, sautéed onions and garlic, and the cheese of your choice (cheddar and mozzarella both work well here). Crimp the edges to seal and bake at 425°F until golden brown.
6. Enchiladas
Follow our super-fast skillet method for making an enchilada casserole, subbing in cooked ground beef for the shredded chicken. Or, if you have more time, make this version of the real deal with beef instead of pork.
7. Loaded Baked Potatoes
Top baked white or sweet potatoes with seasoned beef and a good sprinkling of your favorite cheese. A dollop of sour cream never hurt either.
8. Shepherd's Pie
Have leftover mashed potatoes on hand? Sauté some sliced onions and a little garlic, toss in some of the ground beef with a little tomato paste and a dash of Worcestershire, and add a handful of peas. Spoon the meat mixture into a glass baking dish, cover with mashed potatoes, and bake at 400°F until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
9. Spicy Noodles
Throw two cups of browned beef into this incredibly delicious clear-your-fridge recipe for hot sesame noodles.
10. Simple Sloppy Joes
Mix the beef with your favorite barbecue sauce, spoon it onto soft rolls, and call it Sloppy Joes. Feeling fancy? Mix in some sautéed onions.
11. Tacos, Of Course
Heat up the meat in a skillet with a splash of broth or water, a squeeze of tomato paste, and a few shakes of cumin and dried chile powder, if you have any. (I love to use chipotle powder for a hint of smokiness and heat.) Serve in tortillas with pickled onions and black beans.
Source: https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/big-batch-ground-beef-11-dinners-to-make-article
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