5 Easy Ways to Prep Ground Beef
Ground beef is one of the most versatile cuts of beef. You can flavor it however you need, it cooks quick and it's great to feed a crowd. But my absolute favorite part about ground beef is that I can meal prep 10-15 pounds in a couple of hours and have dinners ready to pull out of the freezer when I'm in a pinch!
Taco Meat
2 pounds feeds a family of 4 with some leftovers for lunch.
- brown the meat
- prepare according to the package
- freeze in gallon bags for up to a month
Reheat in a crockpot, microwave or on the stove.
Spaghetti
2 pounds feeds a family of 4 with leftovers for lunch
- brown meat seasoning with Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt and pepper
- drain and store in gallon bags in the freezer for up to a month
Reheat in a sauce pan or in the crockpot with your favorite sauce.
Casserole meat
This is my secret to a happy marriage - frozen casserole meat. I season with garlic powder, minced onion, salt and pepper, then it pairs with almost any casserole - pasta, potato, the works!
- brown meat seasoning with your favorite flavors (I cook 2 pounds at a time)
- drain and store in a gallon bag for up to a month
- when thawing, pop the frozen meat into the oven in your casserole dish while the oven is heating and you are prepping your other ingredients
Meat Balls
I make 3 pounds and then pull them out of the freezer and cook as needed. I normally get two meals out of it!
- Thaw ground beef in the fridge
- Mix in egg and breadcrumbs and form into meat balls
- Re-freeze on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper and place into a gallon bag for up to one month.
Reheat in the airfryer for a quick cooking time!
Make sure to keep thawed meat below 40 degree F to safely re-freeze.
Patties
I love being able to make the size of patties that our family needs. Bigger patties for my husband, little patties for the boys - perfect for everyone!
- Thaw ground beef in the fridge
- Form patties and re-freeze on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper
- Store in a gallon bag in the freezer for up to one month
To cook, I place the frozen patties directly into the pan without thawing.
Make sure to keep thawed meat below 40 degree F to safely re-freeze.