Cooking Raw Ground Beef in Crock Pot
Have you ever cooked ground beef in bulk? Cooking ground beef in your crock pot is a great way to stock your freezer for quick meals on busy nights!
How to Cook Ground Beef in a Slow Cooker
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We go through a lot of ground beef in our house. I'm willing to bet that you do, too! It's inexpensive, it's easy, and it's pretty darn versatile! I used to brown one pound at a time on the stove when I needed it. Now that I know how to cook ground beef in bulk in my slow cooker, I will never go back to browning ground beef on the stove again. Ever. This is so easy! (And foolproof!)
I use my 6-quart slow cooker for this job, and I cook 5 pounds of ground beef at a time. It's best to start with thawed ground beef. But I'll be honest, I often end up with a few of my packages that are still frozen in the middle. As long as most of it is thawed, and you're cooking to the right temperature, you're doing great.
Dump all the ground beef into your slow cooker. Mix it up, so it's not just in a big hunk in the middle of the slow cooker. I love my Pampered Chef Mix n' Chop for this job. Here's another one that's similar.
The meat will need to cook, covered, on low for 2-3 hours. Every once in a while, come back and give it a stir. The outsides will cook faster than the insides, so you want to stir for even cooking and to keep it from burning. The Mix n' Chop is perfect for this. You'll be able to stir the ground beef fast, and break it up into smaller pieces. If you like bigger crumbles, use a wooden spoon instead. We like fine crumbles for most of our recipes.
The best way to know when your ground beef is done is by using a meat thermometer. You want the ground beef to be at least 160 degrees F in the center of the slow cooker. Not on the edge, not touching the bottom, but in the center. I love probe-style thermometers like this one. I put the end in the center of the meat, drape the cable over the top, and I can monitor the temperature while it's cooking. The best part is that this one beeps when it reaches the right temperature!
Once it's done, you'll want to let it cool a little bit. (It is 160 degrees, after all!) While it's cooling, assemble your tools. You'll need:
- A colander
- A large bowl that fits under the colander
- A slotted spoon
- A kitchen scale
- Quart-size Ziploc freezer bags
- A Sharpie
If I'm only making 1 pound of ground beef at a time, I don't usually drain the fat. I buy the leaner meat, and there isn't usually enough fat to bother with. But when you're making 5 pounds at a time… yeah, you'll want to drain it. Place a colander inside a bowl, and put all the cooked beef in the colander with your slotted spoon. Let it sit and drain for a few minutes.
I use a glass measuring cup to hold the freezer bags while I'm filling them. It's easier to handle, and makes way less mess! Grab 5 quart-size Ziploc bags, and fill each one with about 12 ounces of cooked beef. You can expect ground beef to lose about 1/4 of it's weight during cooking. So 1 pound of raw beef (16 ounces) will weigh about 12 ounces when it is cooked.
Fill each bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, label with the name and date, and pop them in the freezer!
Pull one bag out the night before you need it to thaw in your refrigerator. Or, if you're like me and forget until it's time to make dinner, take one out of the freezer and pop it into the microwave for a few minutes to thaw. Then just use it in any recipe like you had just spent 20 minutes slaving over a stove!
You can also make a big batch of taco meat this way. Add one packet of taco seasoning per pound of ground beef, but no water. The condensation inside the slow cooker will give it enough moisture. (I like to buy taco seasoning in a big container like this. Then it's 1/4 cup per pound.) Now you've got a quick and easy taco night ready to go!
Enjoy!
Free Printable Ground Beef Buyer's Guide
Have you ever gotten confused at the grocery store when you're trying to pick out ground beef for tonight's dinner? We can help! This Ground Beef Buyer's Guide has everything you need to know about buying ground beef, plus you can download a free printable cheat sheet to keep handy in your kitchen or your purse!
Tools for Cooking with Ground Beef
Every kitchen needs a few basic tools… These are ones that I use all the time when I'm cooking with ground beef!
- 5-Quart Saute Pan
- Mix and Chop
- 6-Quart Slow Cooker
- Instant-Read Digital Thermometer
- Probe-Style Digital Thermometer
3 Ways to Take the Fear Out of This Recipe
- Why is Ground Beef Brown in the Middle?
- Types of Ground Meat
- Freezer Storage Guidelines
4 More Recipes to Try
- Bacon Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes
- Kid-Friendly Cheeseburger Cups
- Freeze & Bake Lasagna
- Slow Cooker Taco Beef
Printable Recipe Card for How to Cook Ground Beef in a Slow Cooker
How to Cook Ground Beef in a Slow Cooker
Have you ever cooked ground beef in bulk? Cooking ground beef in your crock pot is a great way to stock your freezer for quick meals on busy nights!
- 5 pounds ground beef
- Optional: 5 packets taco seasoning
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Place ground beef in a 6-quart slow cooker. Using a Mix n' Chop or spoon, break up the ground beef.
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Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
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The ground beef is cooked when meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F in the center of the meat.
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Drain cooked beef using a colander set inside a large bowl.
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Using akitchen scale, divide ground beef into 5Ziploc freezer bags - approximately 12 ounces in each bag.
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Label with name and date and freeze until use.
To use frozen beef:
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Thaw in refrigerator overnight.
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Heat in skillet and use as you would use in any recipe.
Let us know how it was!
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Source: https://www.myfearlesskitchen.com/crockpot-ground-beef/
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