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Yahoo
15 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Chefs share the best and worst meals to make with ground beef
We asked chefs for some of the best and worst ways to use ground beef in meals. Tacos, soups, and meat-based sauces can be filling and easy to prepare. They said you should avoid using prepackaged ground beef to make burgers or beef stroganoff. Ground beef is a popular base for many meals, but they aren't all created equally. So, we asked chefs for some of their favorite things to cook with ground beef and a few recipes they'd probably skip. Bolognese sauce with pasta is simple and delicious. Palak Patel, a chef with the Institute of Culinary Education, told Business Insider that one of her favorite easy weeknight dinners is a hearty Bolognese or Italian meat sauce served over pasta. "It's very easy to make a small or large batch to freeze for later," Patel said, "because all you have to do is combine ground beef with herbs and tomato. You can cook it slowly on the stovetop, slow cooker, or even an Instant Pot." For a lighter version of this dish that's perfect for warmer months, use fresh tomatoes instead of canned for the sauce. Ground-beef tacos are easily customizable. Jessica Randhawa, a chef with The Forked Spoon, told BI that ground beef can be a scrumptious taco filling. "Ground-beef tacos are easy to make at home and can be full of flavor," she said. "Plus, you can control the fat content based on your personal needs by choosing leaner or fattier ground beef." You can make an easy taco filling by simmering ground beef with tomato sauce and spices like paprika, garlic powder, and cumin. Add chopped vegetables or shredded cheese for extra flavor. Cajun rice is a cheap and filling way to enjoy ground beef. Cajun rice, also known as dirty rice for its color, is a traditional Louisiana Creole dish made with seasoned rice, chopped peppers, and spiced meat such as ground beef. "Cajun rice is a great way to use ground beef," Randhawa said. "Though it's usually known as a spicy dish, you can omit spicy ingredients like jalapeño if you're sensitive to heat." In addition to being a versatile meal that can easily be scaled up or down to feed groups of different sizes, Cajun rice is an ideal way to use up different cuts of meat — toss in leftover steak, sausage, or even chicken gizzards. Meatballs are a classic way to showcase quality ground beef. Mila Furman, a private chef and recipe developer with Girl and the Kitchen, told BI that meatballs are an ideal way to use high-quality ground beef. "Meatballs are one of the most versatile meals to have in your [arsenal] as a chef," Furman said. "They're super simple to put together and will always be a hit for the whole table." Whether you're making classic meatballs with tomato sauce or whipping up a batch of creamy Swedish meatballs, using ground beef with a slightly higher fat percentage will keep them juicy and tender. Add ground beef to soup for extra protein. If you're struggling to think of ways to use up a small portion of leftover ground beef, putting it in a soup may just be the answer. "Using ground beef in soups isn't just for chili," Furman said. "Add ground beef — especially in the form of leftover meatballs — into soup with plenty of hearty vegetables for a complete meal." Lasagna can keep ground beef from tasting dry or overcooked. A great way to infuse prepackaged ground beef with tons of moisture and flavor is to bake it into a lasagna. "Lasagna is a versatile ground-beef meal because it's very hearty and works well with all kinds of veggies, like mushrooms, squash, or corn," Patel said. "Plus, you can add a fried egg on top to turn leftovers into a weekend brunch." On the other hand, you shouldn't use a typical package of ground beef to make burgers. Patel said that using an average grocery-store package of ground beef to make burgers is a mistake. "It is important to know the type of beef that you're buying," Patel said. "Prepackaged grocery-store ground beef is not processed daily or in-house, so the resulting burgers tend to be dry and chewy." Instead of grabbing a package of ground beef, ask the deli or butcher to grind a portion of quality beef for you. Cuts such as chuck steak usually have a better ratio of fat to lean meat, which makes for a juicier burger. It can be difficult to make good beef stroganoff with ground beef. Beef stroganoff is traditionally made with sautéed pieces of whole beef, but some recipes call for ground beef instead. Unfortunately, this variation is hard to get right. "This is a very classic recipe for ground beef, but often the beef is left bland and dry while the delicate egg noodles are overcooked," Patel said. Patel added that if the ratio of cream to beef is not balanced, this dish can become overly creamy and even soggy. Steak tartare is tricky to prepare at home, and it isn't always safe to eat. Steak tartare is made with lightly seared or raw ground beef, usually served as a patty topped with a raw egg yolk. Randhawa said home chefs — and restaurant diners — should generally avoid steak tartare for safety reasons. "Unlike other raw-meat recipes from around the world, steak tartare does not include an acidic citrus juice," Randhawa said. Acidic citrus juice can cause meat to seem somewhat cooked, but it doesn't actually make it entirely safe to eat. "Uncooked meat can have both dangerous parasites and potentially life-threatening bacteria," Randhawa added. You may want to avoid adding warm ground beef to chilled salads. Some salad recipes call for ground beef as a topping. But the temperature difference between warm ground beef and a cold salad can cause the melted fats in the meat to solidify. "Do not put ground beef in your salads if you can help it," Furman said. "You often end up with a situation where beef fat leaks down through the greens and congeals." You could avoid this stomach-turning scenario by chilling the cooked ground beef beforehand. This story was originally published on June 2, 2023, and most recently updated on June 9, 2025. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
This Is The Most Common Way Grease Fires Start In The Kitchen
As someone who's stood in front of a grease fire in my apartment kitchen, I can confirm it's not a situation you want to encounter. Even though it happened years ago, I still get nervous any time I use a skillet, especially when oil is involved in the recipe. House fires — and particularly cooking fires — happen more often than you might realize. According to data from the National Fire Protection Association, cooking was the leading cause of reported home fires and injuries between 2017 and 2021, causing about 44% of all reported home fires in the nation. As much as we'd all like to think this disaster will never happen to us, it can. Fire safety education is vital for us all. Ahead, chefs share the scenario in which grease fires most often start, how to put them out, and 'hacks' you may have heard that can actually exacerbate the situation. First, it's important to know the temperature ranges you should stay below when cooking with oil. The answer isn't so simple, however, as there's not necessarily one temperature that's bad news for all oils. 'Every oil is a bit different, and each oil has a smoke point and a flash point,' explained Shawn Matijevich, lead chef-instructor of Online Culinary Arts and Food Operations at the Institute of Culinary Education. (Flash point is when the oil or grease will combust into flames, and smoke point is when it starts to smoke.) 'The flash point is typically about 50 degrees higher than the smoke point, so going from smoking to being on fire does happen pretty quickly,' he added. Flames aren't the first warning sign, either — smoke is. So, Jessica Randhawa, a food blogger who has experienced a grease fire in her own home, urged people to look out for smoke, not just flames. 'The oil first begins to smoke before catching fire,' she said. Better to catch the problem before it gets worse, you know? Besides watching for those signs, knowing the smoke point of the oil you're using is vital. The specific 'points' depend on the type of oil. The smoke point for canola oil, for example, is 435 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas the smoke point for corn, olive, sesame seed and sunflower oil is 410 degrees. For smoke points of other oils, check out the helpful chart provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The good news is you probably won't have any reason to crank the heat up much higher than that. 'There is no need to deep fry above 350 degrees Fahrenheit to 375 degrees Fahrenheit,' said Randy Feltis, a Canadian restaurateur and professional chef. According to the American Red Cross, the top reason for cooking-related home fires is not paying close attention to the stove when something's cooking. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) explains what can happen: The oil can get too hot, reaching its flash point and igniting a fire that spreads throughout the home. Many types of cooking — like frying, boiling and simmering — need constant attention. They may require constant stirring, or turning the temperature down if the oil begins to smoke. Left unattended and unaddressed, the food can catch on fire. Paying attention to what you're cooking sounds easy enough, but it's important to note that many distractions and other factors can easily get in the way. One instance: You're under the influence. 'This normally happens to people after the bar,' Feltis said. He also warned against using your phone while cooking aka being distracted and not attending to the oil or food in the pan — saying flames may erupt only four to five minutes after ignoring it. Another possible scenario: You're frying something. 'Deep frying involves submerging food in hot oil, which can easily overheat if not carefully watched,' Randhawa said. 'Leaving the kitchen unattended while frying, using too much oil or frying at excessively high temperatures can increase the risk of a grease fire.' And get this: Even paying attention to the pan doesn't mean you're 100% in the clear. '[Fires] can also happen when you overload your vessel with oil, and hot grease splashes onto an open flame or exposed heating element,' Matijevich said. He urged choosing a pan that is at least twice the volume of the oil — or cooking in batches, if needed — and continuing to watch the temperature. To take the temperature of the oil, Randhawa and Matijevich encouraged using a thermometer. (Talk about a kitchen product that pays for itself.) There are many types of kitchen thermometers; the one you'll most likely need here is a 'candy/jelly/deep fry thermometer,'according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Just be aware they can only measure up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease fires can and do happen. If you experience one, stay calm and act quickly. Then, heed the following do's and don'ts these chefs shared. This smothers the fire by cutting off its oxygen supply. It's important to note that this option is only smart for small fires, according to Randhawa. (We'll get to big fires in a bit.) Additionally, it's crucial to keep the lid, towel or baking sheet on top of the fire, even once the fire is seemingly gone. '[The fire] will reflash if it is exposed to oxygen and still too hot,' Matijevich said. 'As long as the fire is contained in the cooking vessel, this is the best way to deal with a small grease fire.' As counterintuitive as it may seem, water will not help with a grease fire. 'It can cause the oil to splash and spread the fire further,' Randhawa explained. This can lead to severe burns. Water in any form is a no-go for fires, even if you don't have a metal lid, dry towel or baking sheet to use instead. Matijevich explained that a wet towel on a grease fire can cause steam explosions and spread flames. This is another 'hack' that's actually unsafe. These ingredients can exacerbate the fire, Matijevich said. While baking powder is combustible, baking soda is safe to throw on a small (keyword: small) grease fire. 'Use this method when grease has splashed out of the cooking pot and onto the stove,' Matijevich advised. The way I remember to use baking soda instead of baking powder: Soda is a yes because it's tasty (even though we're not talking about that kind of soda here) and 'powder' sounds like 'gunpowder' … which is flammable. You may be tempted to pull the pan or skillet off the stove and throw it into the sink. However, that can be dangerous, too, according to Feltis and Randhawa, by causing the fire to spread. This one is along the lines of picking up the pan or skillet, but it's much safer and recommended by Randhawa. Matijevich agreed, saying it could stop the fire from getting worse. With bigger fires — or any fires, really — a fire extinguisher is probably your best bet. If you don't have one in easy reach right now, put that on your to-do list. More specifically, Randhawa recommended a Class B dry chemical fire extinguisher, especially if throwing a pan on the fire doesn't work or isn't an option. A multipurpose fire extinguisher will also do the trick. Mostly, Matijevich warns about water-based extinguishers — yes, they exist — which can make the fire worse. So again, not every fire extinguisher will help. If the fire continues to grow and/or you can't control it, evacuate the home immediately and call 911 and/or pull the fire alarm. As with any fire, remember that safety is the paramount concern. Dinner can wait. Want A Disaster-Free Turkey? 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