Batch cooking ground beef: Your slow cooker’s new superpower

Imagine spending just a few minutes preparing ground beef, stepping away, then returning to find perfectly cooked, flavorful meat ready to use.

Batch-cooking hamburger in a slow cooker saves time, money and sanity, giving you tender, ready-to-season beef without hours in the kitchen.

Skeptical? You’re not alone. You might wonder, “It won’t be browned — will it taste good?” Trust me, you’re in for a tasty surprise.

The beef emerges juicy and fully cooked. If browning matters, simply crisp it quickly in a skillet before using.

But, honestly, once mixed into soups or casseroles, no one can tell — it just tastes great and saves so much time. Try it once, and you’ll wonder why you waited so long.

What else can you make? Use precooked beef in tacos, sloppy joes, chili, pizza toppings, quesadillas or hearty salads.

Slow Cooker Batch-Cooked Ground Beef

Servings: 12 cups

Ingredients

5 pounds ground beef (85% lean / 15% fat)

1 cup beef broth or water

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

2 tablespoons dried minced onion

Procedure

Place ground beef in slow cooker, breaking into chunks. Pour broth or water over meat, sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper and seasonings. You can adjust the seasoning later when using the beef in specific recipes to suit your taste preferences.

Cover; cook on high 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on low 4 to 5 hours. Once cooked through, carefully drain excess fat and liquid. Break meat into crumbles.

Cool before portioning into airtight containers or freezer bags. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Spaghetti With Quick Meat Sauce

Servings: 4

Ingredients

12 ounces spaghetti

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced, optional

2 cups cooked ground beef

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 jar (24 ounce) marinara sauce

Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Procedure

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain and set aside. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3 minutes, add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sauté mushrooms with the onion mixture. Add cooked ground beef to the skillet; heat through. Season with salt and pepper and Italian seasoning.

Pour in marinara sauce; stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Toss the cooked spaghetti with the meat sauce. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Mexican Beef And Rice Casserole

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cups cooked ground beef

3 cups cooked rice

1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup salsa

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sour cream and chopped cilantro, for garnish

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, rice, black beans, salsa, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a greased 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and chopped cilantro.