I have been working on a new style post but didn’t quite get it finished. I will try to post it tomorrow. (I know you will be completely unable to sleep tonight due to the excitement of that news.)
Speaking of exciting news, I wanted to tell you that Nathan and Meagan have just bought and moved into their first house! After two years of living with Meagan’s parents to save money for a house, they are beyond thrilled to have their own spot.
Nathan and Meagan attend the church her parents pastor and every year they host an event called, “Break Your Fall.” Food, games, inflatables, face painting, music and prizes . . . they are all provided free for the community.
Here is just a small part of what they do.
This year, they also added a photo wall for people to dress up and have their picture taken.
Do you recognize this glamorous family?
When it was time for the music to start, Batman (AKA Nathan Smith). sat in on the drums.
Good times!
When you cook a recipe that calls for browned ground beef, how do you brown it so that the pieces of meat come out small and not in huge clumps?
We ate chili with a family last night and our hostess’ ground beef pieces were wonderfully small, while mine often comes out in bigger pieces. I told her that I plop the meat in the pan, put a lid on it and come back every minute or so to break it up and stir it around. She says she doesn’t use a lid and stands and stirs it constantly.
Who knew I had been doing it wrong all these years?
If you have a great ground beef browning tip, do tell!
Okay. Time to close out this very random Batman and Ground Beef post and get on with my day. See you back here soon with a new style post!
Congratulations to Nathan and Megan on purchasing their first home! They look adorable in their costumes!
As for the ground beef, I break up the beef as I put it in the frying pan and use a metal spatula or a thin plastic spatula to break it up as it browns. I kind of stand there and do it continuously as it cooks.
Kari,
They truly are adorable, aren’t they?
I think you summed up well what I wasn’t doing right with my ground beef browning problem; I just sort of walked off and left it to brown in one big glob. I’ve learned my lesson!
My son gave me a wooden spoon which is square instead of round and that is used to chop up the meat the entire time it is cooking. I also found that it helps to spoon off the fat as it accumulates. Don’t know why but it just tastes better when it is finely crumbled. Also, deli lunch meat is more flavorful if it is shaved very thinly instead of sliced.
Would love to hear more about the “new house”. Such a wonderfully exciting time for Meagan and Nathan.
Judy,
We will be visiting Nathan and Meagan next month so I will have plenty of house info to share! 🙂
I love the idea of a square spoon; that makes perfect sense when trying to make small pieces of meat. And yes, when I go to the deli I always have them shave the turkey or ham because it does taste better. Isn’t it funny how that works? I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that. 🙂
I have a ground beef chopper from Pampered Chef. It works really will. Excited that Meagan and Nathan have their own house. Wish you still had your list of favorite sites on the bottom of your post. There were a few I liked to go to from time to time.
Hi Debbie,
I guess those sites got lost when the new theme was installed. I will try to see if I can reinstall them. If I am succesful with that, you will see them on the side bar, not the bottom. (EDITED TO ADD: I just found them and reinstalled them. Hooray!)
So excited about the new house. What excitement they will have decorating for Christmas. Waiting for pictures and the new blog style. Blessing to all.
Ann,
It is an exciting season for them; it’s been a long time coming. As you said, this will be an especially meaningful Christmas as they have their ownplace for their own tree and traditions.
Thanks for being excited for them!
I do put a lid on if the beef is frozen and cook on simmer. Most of the time I stir almost constantly to break up the pieces. Last week I cooked chili and homemade beef/vegetable soup. I had thawed the ground beef in the frig for a couple of days. Again I cooked on low or simmer and stirred constantly. It can out very fine.
Ann,
I think my problem has been that I haven’t stirred enough while it was cooking. I definitely have some errors in my ways to mend! 🙂
I use the same tool/chopper shown by Phyllis, but mine is white. I don’t like big chunks in my chili and my mom used a tool that was no longer manufactured. We asked about a meat chopper in a kitchen store and they sold us this and it works like a charm.
So happy for Meagan and Nathan!
Sara,
Thanks for commenting and for being so happy for Nathan and Meagan.
It’s amazing how many products exist that we don’t even know are out there till someone tells us about them. Seems like a lot of my Smithellaneous readers heard about that meat chopper before I did. I am happy to report that I used one today and my ground turkey turned out perfectly.
Hooray!
Congratulations on the new home. I always used a wooden spoon and stirred the meat constantly on medium heat ,,,,, my daughter in law uses a potato masher and it works better I think
Sharon,
A potato masher is an interesting idea. And I’m curious as to why a wooden spoon is better than a regular spoon!
I have no idea why a wooden spoon… maybe cause my Mom used one???? I really don’t know.
Sharon,
Well, it’s interesting because other commenters mentioned the same thing. Hmmm . . .
Becky a long time ago a dear friend mentioned in the restaurant she worked they boiled the meat and drain in a colander. It can be broken up in the colander and all the fat is drained away. It doesn’t change the taste and has lots less calories. I am a Weight Watcher member and shared this in a meeting. Just a thought. Congrats to Nathan and Meagan o. Their house
Gail,
I never in a hundred years would have thought of boiling the meat. I will have to give it a try just because I’m curious!
I use the tool posted in the first comment. It works way better than a spatula or wooden spoon.
Jstory,
That special tool seems to be the favorite of a LOT of people!
Congratulations to Nathan and Meagan. I know they have to be happy to have their own place.
As far as browning meat, I do lid off. I have something I bought to help chop it up. A link to a picture is below. It has has four arms coming off the stick (for lack of a better description) and you can use that to get it chopped up good. I got mine at a Hallmark store but places like Kohl’s and Bed Bath and Beyond have them also – google ground beef chopper.
https://cdn-us-ec.yottaa.net/522783d2ea2e0c1df40000bd/64fd5e204b88013497b60a3ba3fac80a.yottaa.net/v~13.b0b/cdn.lehmans.com/images/large/1162990.jpg?yocs=L_&yoloc=us
Phyllis,
Who knew there was something in this world called a “beef chopper!” Definitely need to take a look at it.
Lid off, medium heat, stir constantly with a wooden spoon, breaking up any clumps.
Love the big kids dressed up! Congratulations to them on their new home, so exciting for them. I see your little granddaughter is sporting some hair! So cute:)
Lesley,
I don’t know where I got it in my head to use a lid when browning but I have had several people say not to. I’m going to have lots of great techniques the next time I brown meat!
And yes, Madi is puttin’ out some hair, finally. She is such a cutie!
I either use a wooden spoon and stir and chop as it browns, or I use the pampered chef tool (I have seen similar ones at kitchen shops). I only leave it with a lid on for a short while if it is frozen-then I keep up chopping and stirring.
Patti,
The wooden spoon and the Pampered Chef tool seem to be the meat browning tools of choice around here! I guess when more than one person mentions something, you know it’s got to be worth trying.
Hi Becky,
If you have a food processor you can just dump the browned meat in there and pulse a few times and it comes out nice, Or if you happen to have a hand chopper (think infomercial “slap chop”) works good too! Or you can stand at the stove and babysit.
Shannon,
I have ALWAYS wanted a food processor, but unfortunately I don’t have one. But that is a great idea for using it to chop the meat a little finer–anything is better than babysitting at the stove!
Congrats to the new homeowners! May they have many, many years of happiness and wonderful memories in their new home!
I always use a lid when browning meat, just to keep the spatter in the pan and not on the stove. I use a ‘Mix and Chop’ tool that I bought through a Pampered Chef party and it is awesome! It really breaks down that meat. I don’t stir constantly as there is usually other prep to be done while it’s cooking. And I kind of go for medium to small pieces; they just work better in most recipes. 🙂
LeeAnne,
Thanks for the good wishes for Nathan and Meagan; I know that house will be full of special memories in no time!
Congratulations to Nathan and Meagan!
I brown it lid off, and use an old fashioned potato masher. Breaks it up and stirs it around both without dirtying a second utensil.
Janet,
Anytime you can get one utensil to do the work of two, you have done a good thing! 🙂
Congrats to Meagan and Nathan & family on the new house! Soooo exciting! Although so is the prospect of the new blog style ;). I brown the beef the same way as your friend – lid off, constantly showing those beef bits who is boss with a wooden spoon!
Anne,
“Showing beef bits who is boss” is a funny line. I will think of it next time I have to brown beef! 🙂