Want to know how to drain ground beef easily and completely mess-free? Here are THREE easy methods to suit your needs.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy
- You don’t need any special tools
- Can be done several ways to suit your needs
HERE’S HOW ITS DONE
STEP 1:
Cook the ground beef.
STEP 2.
Drain the fat.
POINTS TO REMEMBER:
- Determining which way works for you depends on what you are using the meat for and what utensils you have to use
- Don’t drain all of the fat off. Leave just a little bit for extra flavor
- If you are getting tons of extra fat check the fat to meat ratios on your packaging. Try to stick to an 80/20 ratio.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Can you drain ground beef in the sink?
NO! Do NOT drain any fats into your sink! This can cause your sink to get clogged up and even Draino will not work.
You will have to take your sink apart and possibly have costly repairs from a plumber. It’s best to pour the excess fat into a bowl and wait for it to cool and put it in the trash.
You can save bacon grease for other cooking dishes but not hamburger grease, that just doesn't work.
How do you drain ground beef for tacos?
To drain ground beef for tacos, I would recommend using the slotted spoon method. Simply spoon the beef out of the pan into your tacos or a serving bowl. This will only dirty up one other utensil rather than getting the colander and a bowl dirty.
Do you drain beef for spaghetti?
This is really up to you and your preference. If there is a lot of extra fat I would recommend draining some of it. If you leave a little bit, it will help keep the meat moist and give it extra flavor.
Tips and Tricks
- Determining which way works for you depends on what you are using the meat for and what utensils you have to use
- Don’t drain all of the fat off. Leave just a little bit for extra flavor!
- Don’t pour the extra fat in your sink drain! It will clog your drain.
- Here's what the USDA says about Ground Beef!
PRO TIP: Check out your ground beef packaging. You want to buy beef that is at an 80/20 meat to fat ratio. This will produce minimal extra fat that needs to be drained.
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How to Drain Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 lb cook ground beef
Instructions
Method 1
- Using the slotted spoon, scoop the beef out of the pan. Let the fat drain off the beef for a few seconds and then transfer into another bowl.
Method 2
- Using the spoon, push all the beef to one side of the pan. Scoop the excess fat out and put it into a separate bowl to cool off before throwing it out.
Method 3
- Put a colander into a bowl. Pour your cooked meat into the colander and allow some time for it to drain. Once it is drained you can put the meat into a separate bowl or back into the pan.
Notes
- Determining which way works for you depends on what you are using the meat for and what utensils you have to use
- Don’t drain all of the fat off. Leave just a little bit for extra flavor!
- Don’t pour the extra fat in your sink drain! It will clog your drain.
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