10 Go-To Ground Beef Recipes - Damn Delicious (2024)

FAQs

How do Mexican restaurants get their ground beef so fine? ›

Ever wonder why some taco meat found at restaurants or in chili is ground SUPER fine and how they get it that way? That is the result of actually boiling the hamburger first. This method of cooking brings the temperature of the meat up slowly and prevents it from clumping, keeping it finely ground.

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.

Some of the most common spice blends used in Mexican cuisine include chili powder, which typically includes cumin, garlic powder, and paprika, and achiote paste, which is made from annatto seeds and gives dishes a vibrant red color.

Because of beef's hearty, robust nature, flavor-forward spices like garlic and onion or herbs like rosemary and oregano are the best choices for an unforgettable beef dinner. An important thing to consider when selecting seasonings for your meal is that you should be seasoning beef based on the cut.

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.

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.

What to season hamburgers with? ›

Beef burgers need nothing more than a sprinkle of salt, preferably kosher salt, to cook up juicy and delicious. Some black pepper is also welcome, and there's no reason not to branch out with any number of hamburger-friendly seasonings: herbs, spices, onions and more.

Baking soda acts as a tenderizer for ground beef, keeps it moist during cooking, and encourages deep browning by raising the acidity level of the surface of the meat. Simply add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 pound of ground beef for more tender meat with better browning.

Once the beef has rendered its fat, it's time to generously add your mix of seasonings — granulated garlic, granulated onion, ground cumin, and cayenne powder. These seasonings absorb the rendered fat, bloom, and beautifully transform the beef.

The main players include chili peppers, crushed red pepper, black pepper, jalapeño peppers, paprika, poblano peppers, and spicy non-pepper seasonings, such as garlic, onion, and cumin.

Boiling ground beef is the best way to cook it so that it comes out in small, fine crumbles. Trust me, this is the secret to all those amazing tacos and pasta sauces at your favorite restaurant!

Lots of livestock in Mexico are given Clenbuterol to promote lean muscle mass and for the animal to grow faster. This is most likely the reason for the diff taste.

Northern Mexico is where beef with higher quality traits are produced, so cattle in this region is fattened in feedlots using concentrates (Delgado et al., 2005) . This production system relies on technical efficiency to reduce production costs. ...

Americans love their tacos filled with ground beef, but it is not a standard authentic filling. When it comes to tacos, nearly anything can be used to fill a tortilla and still be called a taco. In Oaxaca, Mexico, fried grasshoppers are still a popular filling!