The One-Ingredient Ground Beef Trick For Better Browning (2024)

FAQs

The One-Ingredient Ground Beef Trick For Better Browning? ›

Simply add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 pound of ground beef for more tender meat with better browning.

Heavy cream promises to be the magic ingredient because it isn't too acidic and it adds fat and some sugars to the beef for maximum browning. You'll need just 2 tablespoons of cream for each pound of beef. Mix in the cream, then let the beef marinate overnight before browning it in a large cast iron skillet.

However, by gently tossing a baking soda solution with the meat (about ¾ teaspoon baking soda to 2 tablespoons water for 2lbs of grind) and letting sit for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking, beef loses less liquid, browns faster and tastes better.

The power of baking soda

To bring this hack to your home kitchen, start with this basic ratio: use a quarter to a half teaspoon of baking soda with a tablespoon of water for every pound of ground beef. Try to sprinkle this as evenly as you can over the beef so that it doesn't accumulate in one area.

Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants boil raw ground beef with water and seasonings until cooked through to achieve a super fine texture, and the aforementioned Maid Rite sandwiches (aka Loose Meat Sandwiches, which are NOT Sloppy Joe's!) use steam to keep the cooked ground beef soft after cooking.

The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.

This darkening is due to oxidation, the chemical changes in myoglobin due to the oxygen content. This is a normal change during refrigerator storage. Beef that has turned brown during extended storage may be spoiled, have an off-odor, and be tacky to the touch and should not be used.

Adding oil is optional but recommended for better browning. Add the meat to the pan and break it into large pieces. Use a wooden spoon, fish spatula, or other sturdy spatula to break the meat up into large pieces in the pan. Let it brown for several minutes.

Baking soda helps baked goods brown better. And that's because browning occurs better in alkaline batters - add some baking soda to a batter with baking powder, and it'll get to work neutralizing acids, turning them alkaline and encouraging browning.

Baking Soda is an Easy Meat Tenderizer

Baking soda helps prevent ground beef from drying out, allowing those burger patties to keep their moisture and brown quicker for the most flavorful cookout. Not to mention, baking soda is the ideal ingredient for getting the most out of your Thanksgiving bird.

How long to leave baking soda on beef? ›

Sprinkle the baking soda over the exterior of the protein. Using clean hands, rub the baking soda to cover all sides of the meat. Transfer the meat to a zip-top bag, stainless steel or glass bowl, or other non-reactive container, and refrigerate for 3 hours or up to overnight.

Because baking soda neutralizes the acid in the meat and prevents it from becoming tough when cooked, using it as your go-to meat tenderizer just might be the game-changing hack to the best burger you've never cooked.

The trick to cooking ground beef well is to not move it around a lot until it's finished cooking and nicely browned. This helps create a crust on the meat which is delicious. I sauté it in cooking oil. I usually use olive oil because that's my go-to, but your favorite cooking oil will work too.

You only need 1% of your meat's weight in baking soda to tenderize, so convert your cut's weight to ounces, and then measure out 1% of that in baking soda. As an example, one tablespoon of baking soda weighs 0.6 ounces, which is good for 60 ounces, or just under four pounds, of meat.