Three Ways to Cook Ground Beef

According to the USDA, Americans consume more than 53 pounds of ground beef on average each year, making beef the second most consumed meat after chicken.

So, it’s time to refresh your ground beef cooking techniques. You can experiment with a variety of ingredients to make family-favorite dishes like pasta sauces, pizza, casseroles, and more. If you’re cooking for 4-6 people, pan-frying one pound of ground beef may be the quickest and easiest method. But if you’re cooking for a large group and need to cook a lot of beef, using a pressure cooker, or even an oven, can be a real lifesaver.

Keep reading to learn how to brown frozen ground beef and how to brown ground beef in an Instant Pot, skillet, or oven.

How to Brown Ground Beef in a Skillet

Best for: Cooking 1 pound of ground beef

Place the ground beef in a nonstick skillet and heat it over medium-high. The key to frying ground beef is using a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula to break up the beef into evenly-sized chunks while it cooks. This ensures the beef browns evenly.

How to Brown Ground Beef in a Pressure Cooker (or Instant Pot)

Best for: Cooking 1-2 pounds of ground beef

Add one cup of water to the pressure cooker and set the trivet/roasting rack inside. Then, place the thawed ground beef on top.

Alternatively, you can use a metal steamer basket to hold the ground beef. Since the holes in the steamer basket are smaller than those in the trivet, the meat won’t fall through. In our test kitchens, we prefer using pre-shredded steam baskets. Set the pressure to high for 6 minutes for 1 pound of beef or about 10 minutes for 2 pounds. (If cooking 1 pound of frozen ground beef, set the time for 30-40 minutes.)

Allow the pressure to naturally release, then carefully open the lid. Use a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula to break the meat into evenly-sized chunks. You can also use the sauté function on multi-cookers to cook and stir the ground beef just like you would in a skillet, Dutch oven, or slow cooker.

Ground Beef Cooking Temperature: When cooking from frozen, keep in mind that the shape of the ground beef will affect the cooking time in the pressure cooker. Use a meat thermometer to check the doneness (160°F is considered safe). We’ve found that when using this method, the beef may still have some pinkness, but when checked with a thermometer, the internal temperature exceeds 160°F, making it safe to eat.

How to Brown Ground Beef in the Oven

Best for: Cooking 2 pounds of ground beef

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Line a large baking tray with aluminum foil.

3. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the meat into approximately 1-inch or smaller chunks.

4. Cover the tray with more aluminum foil.

5. Bake for 15 minutes.

6. Uncover the meat, stir to break it up further, and bake for another 10 minutes (or until the meat is evenly browned).

7. Stir the meat and let it sit for 1-2 minutes.

8. Drain the fat by using a slotted spoon or pour the meat into a bowl lined with paper towels to absorb the excess grease.

How to Brown Frozen Ground Beef

Yes, you can use any of the three “how to brown ground beef” methods above to cook frozen meat. The USDA states that as long as you follow these tips and cook the meat within four months of purchase, cooking frozen meat is safe. So, if you want to brown ground beef, here are some steps to follow before starting the above processes:

• Place the frozen ground beef in the refrigerator overnight and cook within 1-2 days.

• In a hurry? You can microwave the frozen beef to thaw it faster. Cook it immediately after thawing, as some parts may turn into “hot spots” and begin cooking during the defrosting process.

How Long Does It Take to Brown Ground Beef?

You can judge the doneness by looking at the meat. It should be fully brown with no visible pink. (Remember, a slight pink is acceptable if the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F or 74°C.)

On most stovetops, it takes about 7-10 minutes to brown one pound of ground beef. Be sure to constantly stir the beef with a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula to break it into even-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.

In an Instant Pot (or multi-cooker), it takes 6 minutes on high pressure, plus the time for natural pressure release, to brown ground beef perfectly.

When using the oven, bake for 25-30 minutes to get your ground beef browned perfectly, ready to be used in meat sauces, sandwiches, tacos, casseroles, and more.

Draining the Fat from Cooked Ground Beef

Once your ground beef is fully browned, the last step is draining the fat. Be careful not to spill, as the fat will still be hot.

1. Carefully tilt the skillet or pan so the liquid fat pools on one side.

2. Use a slotted spoon to push the meat to the other side and scoop it into a plate lined with paper towels or another bowl.

3. Once the paper towels have absorbed the excess fat, your ground beef is ready to be used in your favorite recipes.

4. Allow the remaining fat to cool completely before disposing of it. You can also slightly cool it and then carefully pour it into a can or glass jar for disposal later once it solidifies.