Ground beef lends itself to many meal plans.
Ground beef is a simple and economical way to incorporate meat into your diet. It's cheaper and easier to cook than steak, and more versatile too. Try to buy ground beef that's no more than 15% fat, or else most of your money will end up discarded as grease. Also, for food safety reasons, you might want to see if you can find organic beef or at least beef sourced from one animal alone. Otherwise, be sure to brown it thoroughly before consumption to kill off any food-borne pathogens.
Hamburgers
Hamburgers are an American classic, and probably the first thing you think of when contemplating what to do with a pound or two of ground beef. If you feel stuck in a burger rut, consider some variations. You can stuff the burger with cheese---cheddar and goat cheese both make for a savory surprise---or add all sorts of seasoning to the mix. Don't stop at French onion mix; go for Cajun or Italian seasoning mixes. And, of course, there are hundreds of variations for buns and toppings to try.
Sloppy Joes
One hamburger-esque variation worth singling out is the sloppy joe. Ground beef is cooked in a spicy, tomato-based sauce and serve loose on a hamburger bun. There are several sloppy joe mixes available on the market, but it's almost as easy to make your own from scratch. Kids in particular seem to love this messy meal.
Tacos, Nachos and Burritos
Season some ground beef with taco mix and serve with soft tortillas, fried taco shells or a mess of tortilla chips for another classic meal. Pile on as many toppings as you like---fresh chopped tomatoes or salsa, avocado or guacamole, beans, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, black olives, scallions or chopped onion and anything else that appeals, including corn, diced bell peppers, sliced hot peppers, even cooked zucchini. For large gatherings, it's especially fun to assemble a taco or burrito bar. Just put a variety of toppings out in bowls, buffet-style, and let guests assemble their own meal according to taste.
Cottage Pie
Shepherd's pie is traditionally made with a ground lamb-based stew topped by a layer of mashed potatoes; the beef variation is properly called cottage pie. This is a comforting, casserole-style meal suitable for a cold winter's night.
Pasta Sauce
Proper ragu bolognese takes several days and several meats to accomplish, but many American cooks choose to take a shortcut by making a quick sauce from canned tomatoes plus a pound of ground beef. Another beloved ground beef dish for pasta is homemade meatballs.
Meatloaf
Meatloaf may be old-fashioned, but it's worth giving this comfort food classic a second look. Not only is it an economical way to stretch a pound of ground beef, but it's open to many flavorful interpretations. Try it Tex-Mex style, Italian-American style or stuffed with cheese. Let your imagination be your guide.
Tags: pound ground, pound ground beef, ground beef, Ground beef, ground beef
