What Happens If You Don’t Drain Ground Beef?

Have you tried making a recipe with ground beef? Maybe you are wondering what happens when you don’t drain your beef. In the article, we will find out.

The food you serve will be too oily if you don’t drain your ground beef. 

If you don’t drain your ground beef off, the meal you are preparing might not taste as good as it would if you did.

Ground beef can be used without the draining process if you like your food oily.

You won’t have to drain the fat from the ground beef in some recipes if that happens to be the case.

Let’s talk about how to drain ground beef in the next paragraph after we know what happens if you don’t drain it.

How to Drain Ground Beef?

It is easy to drain ground beef, but you have to follow a few steps to get it right. Ground beef can be drained through two methods.

Methods

• Draining the ground beef from the pan.
• Draining the ground beef with a strainer. 

Draining The Ground Beef from the Pan

This is the best way to drain your ground beef. You can follow the steps closely.

Step 1:

If you want to break it into pieces, pour your ground beef onto a pan and use a spoon. Go to the gas top and put the pan there.

Leave the gas on moderately low heat and let the ground beef cook for about 9 to 10 minutes.

You can season the ground beef with pepper, garlic, ginger powder, salt, and other spices while it is cooking.

Step 2:

To move the cooked beef to the side of the pan, you should use the same spoon you used to stir the ground beef.

If you bend the pan so that the oil moves to the other side, you’ll be able to cook the beef on one side. Grease shouldn’t spill out if you bend the pan carefully.

Step 3:

The metal spoon will scoop out the oil from the pan. Use it. If you put the oil in a container or add tin foil to the jar, it will make it easier to dispose of the grease and clean the jar.

Step 4:

The turkey baster is similar to a pipe with a bulb at the end, so you need to put the tip in the pan.

After putting the tip in the pan, unclasp the bulb to suck the oil out. Grease shouldn’t go down to the bulb area as this will melt it.

Step 5:

You can use tissue paper instead of going through the hassle of cleaning the container. To absorb the oil in the pan, you would need 3 to 4 pieces of tissue paper.

If there is oil in the pan after the initial clean-up, you may need more tissue paper.

Carefully absorb the oil with tissue paper, as the pot will still be hot at this point. Allow the tissue paper to cool before disposing of it.

Step 6:

You might need the grease in another meal, so you can scoop the fat into a bowl, then put it in your freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Within 2 hours, the fat would have turned into something.

Draining the Ground Beef with a Strainer

Another way to drain ground beef is by using a strainer. You have to follow a few steps to get this method. The steps are listed below.

Materials 

• Spoon.
• Bowl.
• Hot water.
• Strainer.
• Pan.

Step 1:

If you want to break it into pieces, pour your ground beef onto a pan and use a spoon. Go to the gas top and put the pan there.

When you switch on the gas, leave it on moderately low heat and let the ground beef cook for about 9 to 10 minutes.

Step 2:

When the ground beef is cooked, put your strainer in a big bowl, then pour the cooked ground beef and fat into the strainer.

The beef would be retained by the strainer and the fat would be sent to the bowl.

Step 3:

While the strainer is still in the bowl, pour hot water into the cooked beef to eliminate the remaining fat.

It is possible to repeat this step until you are satisfied with the fat content of the beef.

Step 4:

The oil should be put in the freezer for two hours after cooling down.

The oil would begin to float on the water by that time. Before you bring the fat out of the freezer, make sure the fat has a thick consistency.

Step 5:

Don’t dispose of the fat in the water. The water can be poured away when you’re done with the oil. You need to wash the bowl, strainer, spoon, and pan.

If You Drain the Ground Beef with Grease, Is It Still Healthy?

If you remove the fat, ground beef is still good for you. The fat and calories are lessened when ground beef is cooked and drained.

If you cook 5 ounces of lean ground beef, it will be 4 ounces, but not as much as when the beef has been drained. When it is drained, there will be less fat in it.

What to Make with Ground Beef?

If you want to make a lot of dishes with ground beef, you can include; tacos, meatballs, burgers, soup, pasta, and so on.

When you have your ground beef seasoned well, you will enjoy it in any dish. The amount of beef you need to put in your freezer needs to be cut out after you purchase the ground beef.

If you portion it in the freezer it will be easier to make your dishes when you are ready. If you want to avoid a lot of grease in the pan, it is advisable to purchase lean ground beef.

FAQs

How to Cook Ground Beef Without Drying It Out?

It’s easy to cook ground beef without drying it out when you follow the right techniques. If you want to cook your ground beef without drying it out, the steps below are for you.

Sauté Your Ingredients 

Place the pan on top of the stove. Then, cook the diced onion, garlic, and ginger with olive oil.

Cook the Ground Beef

Place the ground beef in the pan and let it cook. The pink color of the beef changes to brown as you continue to stir.

Scoop the Cooked Ground Beef

You have to be aware of the color change. Scoop the beef out of the pan immediately when it turns brown. After cooking, your ground beef should not dry out.

Why Do I Need to Add Water to Ground Beef?

Water is added to the ground beef while it is being cooked. This is not necessary for most dishes. Some dishes don’t need a lot of water, just the one that comes out from the beef.

While some dishes need a lot of water from the beef as it cooks for a long time, the addition of water to your beef depends on the recipe.

Conclusion

When you buy beef with a high fat and calorie content, the need for you to drain your ground beef is important.

If you don’t drain the fat from the beef, it will make your meal oily, and you will be consuming a lot of calories in the process.

If you do not want to drain your beef, it is better to purchase lean ground beef. The steps should be followed closely to get an accurate result.

I hope this article answered all of your questions. You can leave your comments in the comment section below.