Wondering how to cook ground beef? Frying is a popular option, but boiling ground beef is easy, quick, and it creates leaner, finer meat! Cooking ground beef with this method creates the perfect crumbled ground meat for tacos, chili, spaghetti sauce, and more.
This recipe will show you how to cook ground beef or chuck to use in other ground beef recipes. Boiling ground beef is the best way to cook it so that it comes out in small, fine crumbles. Trust me, this is the secret to all those amazing tacos and pasta sauces at your favorite restaurant! It’s also a healthier option, because the boiling process helps separate the fat from the meat, and it comes out quite lean.
What You’ll Need to Boil Ground Beef
Grab a pound of hamburger meat and a pot, and you’ll be on your way to cooking the perfect beef crumbles for any recipe you like.
- Ground Beef: I like to use lean beef for most recipes, but you can use 90/10, 80/20, or any other type. This recipe is made for 1 lb of ground meat, though it works for any amount.
- Water: You’ll need enough to fully submerge the beef in the pan. Place the ground meat in the pot first, then pour cold/tap water over it until it’s covered.
- Seasonings: Use any type of seasonings or spices you like. Check below for some ideas!
Pro Tip: You can cook ground chicken or ground turkey with this stovetop recipe as well!
How to Season Ground Beef
The wonderful thing about ground beef is that it’s easy to season any way you like. What works best really depends on what you’re making! Try a range of spices, herbs, and seasoning blends.
- If you’re cooking ground beef for taco meat, then a simple taco seasoning works beautifully.
- To make spaghetti, meat sauce, or another pasta recipe, add Italian seasoning.
- Use burger seasoning if you want to make some burger-inspired casseroles, dips, or others dishes.
- Salt and pepper is a great way to add simple flavor no matter what you’re using it for.
- Onion, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and thyme are some of my other favorites for a range of dishes.
If you’re cooking the beef to mix into sauces, stews, casseroles, or other recipes, you won’t have to worry too much about seasoning it on its own. I actually recommend boiling ground beef without seasoning (especially if you’re cooking it for meal prep), and mixing it in after draining, or as you cook it with other recipes.
Once the water has come to a boil, cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer. It should only take about 15 minutes for the beef to fully cook through. The meat will turn brown when it’s done, so keep an eye on it.
According to the USDA, ground beef, taco meat, hamburger meat, and other ground meats should be cooked to 160°F to be considered safe to eat. Use a meat thermometer to check internal meat temperatures, and check this Meat Temperature Chart for more information about the best temperatures for all types of meat.
A lot of people fry ground beef and brown it in a pan before using it in other recipes. While pan-frying works great, cooking anything in oil or butter is going to add more fat and calories. I like boiling ground beef because it comes out much leaner, and the boiling process is super easy. Cooking ground beef with this method also gives you the perfect ground meat crumbles, which is great for tacos and pasta sauces.
After you’ve finished boiling the ground beef, you’ll need to drain it. To avoid letting any fat or grease fall down the drain of your sink, set up a strainer inside of a large bowl. Pour the pot of boiled beef through the strainer, and the bowl will catch the grease. Then you can gently rinse the beef after draining if needed to help remove extra fat. Pour the grease into a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to dispose (or use it to cook with).
How long does cooked ground beef last?
If you’re cooking ground beef ahead of time, or you just have leftovers, you can store it in the refrigerator or the freezer. Let it cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container. Boiled ground beef will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It will last in the freezer for 2-3 months. Thaw it before using.
What can I make with this ground beef?
Once you learn how to cook ground beef, you’re going to want to start using it in everything. Use it to make ground beef tacos, stuffed peppers, tacos in a bag, spaghetti with meat sauce, beef nachos, Cincinnati chili, chili mac, beef bolognese, cheeseburger dip, and beef taquitos. For healthier meals, make these Mexican zucchini boats or this egg roll in a bowl (just sub beef for turkey).
So if you find you have some hamburger meat sitting in the refrigerator or freezer, grab it, boil it, and save it! This is such an easy meal prep idea. Keep it in your fridge for the week, and use it with other recipes as needed!
How to Cook Ground Beef (Boiled Ground Beef)
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- water
- 1 ounce taco seasoning optional, or use other seasoning
Instructions
- Place the ground beef in a deep stove-top pan.1 lb lean ground beef
- Add enough water to cover the meat.water
- If the meat stays in clumps, break it apart with a wooden spoon until it is in small crumbles.
- Slowly bring to a boil, stirring often so the meat stays separated.
- Lower the temperature, cover, and simmer until the meat is brown and cooked.
- Drain. Stir in taco seasoning (if using).1 ounce taco seasoning
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
Nutrition Information
I have been looking for the technique for a long time. Woks great! I didn’t take the comment as the “whitest”. It was probably meant to read as the “weirdest”. Auto correct can get you into a lot of trouble.
We’re so happy to hear you love this recipe, Lin!
Hello,
When you say lean ground beef, what is the percentage? I’m using 85/15 and trying to calculate the nutrition info.
Thanks
Hi Stephanie, we used 90% lean!
When I worked as a cook in a little Texas cafe, the owner (a Hispanic man) made his taco meat by boiling it. He also boiled in a separate pot a vegetable mixture of celery, onions, garlic, bell peppers which he added to the cooked beef along with salt and pepper. This made hands down the best taco meat I EVER ate anywhere.
That sounds wonderful, Naomi! Thanks so much for stopping by!
I couldn’t help noticing that you listed burgers in your list of things to make with boiled ground beef. When I clicked on that link there was nothing at all about using boiled beef to make the burgers. Am I missing something here? I cannot imagine doing such a thing or that it would even work.
We do not use boiled ground beef for burgers, just regular ground beef! Sorry for the confusion!
I learned this secret about my town’s the fine bits of beef in the sauces at my town’s best spaghetti restaurant and the best hot dog stand about 20 years ago. Very small and very smooth, but still discernably beef.
Will this be hard as a rock if I dehydrate it and if so is there a remedy? Thanks
Unfortunately, we don’t have any experience dehydrating this recipe, sorry!
This is a fantastic idea for ground venison. I had the processor grind it with no added fat with plans to add it as needed. I don’t use it for patties so it wasn’t important from that aspect. This would be perfect since the meat is about 95% and has to be chisled from the pan if used as-is!
If you boil the ground beef (or ground bison) is it safe to then drink the broth it creates it the pot?
Sure! It is no different than to meat!
Do you know if boiling then straining will cause loss of nutrients like vitamin b?
I am not sure, I apologize!
Sarah,
I recommend looking up steamed ground beef recipes to retain the most nutrients.
I’m going to try this. I don’t eat meat and I’m always concerned about cooking meat for my husband. Boiling then simmering will reach high enough temps so I feel better about that. Also liked reader suggestion to boil in beef broth then skim fat to re-use broth. I left it at 2 stars for now but will definitely be back to update after I’ve tried this.
Let us know how it went!
Did you try it? 🤔