How to Boil Ground Beef

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 14, 2023 References Tested

Boiling your ground beef is a great idea if you want to cook with leaner, less fatty meat. This is a simple, quick, and easy-to-clean process where you cover the meat in water and brown it on medium heat for for 3-5 minutes or so. Boiled beef is also often used to feed dogs, as it is a great form of protein. If you don’t prefer the taste or texture of boiled beef, you can add herbs and seasoning to the meat for extra flavor.

Ingredients

1-3 lbs (454-1360 g) of ground beef
1-2 tbsp (15-30 g) of seasonings of your choice (optional)

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Cooking the Meat

1
Put 1-3 pounds (454-1360 g) of ground beef into a large pot. You can use any pot with walls that are at least 4–6 in (10–15 cm) tall. Remove the packaging from your ground beef, and place all of the meat in the middle of the pot. ^{[1]
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- If your meat is frozen, place it in your fridge for a few hours to thaw before you cook it.
2
Add seasoning as desired if you want to flavor your ground beef. While this is optional, it can help make your beef taste better, as boiled beef can often taste rather bland. Use 1–2 tablespoons (14.8–29.6 ml) (15-30 g) of any seasoning you’d like! Sprinkle the seasoning onto the meat before you add the water. If you are making food for your dog, it is best not to use seasoning.^{[2]
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- You can use 1–2 tablespoon (14.8–29.6 ml) (15-30 g) of taco seasoning if you're making tacos, for instance.
- You can also use 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) (15 g) of garlic, rosemary, and/or thyme for yummy seasoning options.
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3
Submerge the beef in 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) of water. After your beef and/or seasoning is in the pot, pour water over top of the meat so it is completely covered. Depending on the size of your pot, you can pour about 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) of water inside.^{[3]
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- The amount of water does not have to be exact, as long as the beef is submerged entirely.
4
Use your spoon or spatula to break up the meat. Once the meat is submerged, you can easily break it apart using a kitchen tool. Insert a kitchen spoon into the middle of the meat, and wiggle it around to separate the ground beef. You can lift up the spoon and insert it into other large chunks of meat until it is all broken up.^{[4]
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- Separating the meat helps it all cook evenly.
5
Bring the water to a boil. Once the meat is broken apart, you are ready to cook it. Adjust the burner to a high heat setting to boil the water. Your water should boil in about 3-5 minutes or so.^{[5]
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- Boiling times vary based on your particular oven and pot.
6
Cook the beef on medium heat until the meat is completely brown. Once your water boils, turn your heat setting to medium, and continue stirring the beef until it is brown. The amount of time it takes to brown your ground beef will depend on your stovetop and pot. In general, this should take about 3-5 minutes.^{[6]
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- Stirring the beef continuously ensures it cooks thoroughly.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Straining the Liquid

1
Set a strainer inside of a large bowl. When you strain your beef, you don’t want to pour the grease down the drain, as this can clog your pipes. Instead, place a large plastic or metal bowl on your countertop or inside of your sink.^{[7]
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- This way, you can catch the liquid inside the bowl, rather than pouring it down your drain.
2
Pour the meat and liquid into a strainer. Place a strainer on top of your bowl, and pour the contents of your pot carefully to avoid spilling the meat or harming yourself. As you do this, ensure the liquid goes into the bowl and your meat stays in the strainer.^{[8]
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- Wear an oven mitt to prevent any burns.
3
Rinse the meat under hot water to remove any remaining fat if needed. If your ground beef is extra fatty, gently wash off any remaining fat or grease. Put the bowl in the sink and hold your strainer over top. Then, pour some water over the meat from your faucet. Avoid overflowing the bowl, if you can. A quick rinse will help rinse off any remaining fat or residue.^{[9]
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- Keep in mind that this is optional. You can use your meat right after it is strained.
- If there's not much liquid in your bowl, you can go with the same one used to strain the meat. If the bowl is full, get another one.
4
Cool the liquid slightly before you discard it. Let the grease liquid come to room temperature, and pour it from the bowl into a glass jar or tin can. Then, wait for the liquid to solidify in the container before you throw it away.^{[10]
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- This is a safe way to dispose of the grease without clogging your drains.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Using and Storing Boiled Ground Beef

1
Use the cooked ground beef right away to make healthy meals. After you strain the meat, you can use it to cook things like tacos or stews. Boiled ground beef has significantly less fat and grease than if you browned it in a pan with oil, so you can use this as a lean substitute in nearly any dish.
- For instance, throw your cooked ground beef back into the pot and add your favorite chili ingredients, like black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans.
2
Feed your dog with the boiled beef depending on its size and weight. On average, an adult dog eats 2.5% of their body weight in raw dog food. To determine how much lean ground beef to feed your dog, multiply your dog’s weight by 2.5. Then, give your dog the appropriate amount of food each day.^{[11]
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- For example, if your dog weighs 22 lbs (10 kg), feed it 8.5 oz (250 g) of food per day.
3
Store your meat in the fridge for 1-2 days if you plan on using it soon. If you want to make your ground beef in advance, place it into an airtight container after you strain it and let it cool. Then, use your meat whenever you're ready for a quick and tasty meal option.
- You can use a Tupperware container, for example.
- If you keep your boiled ground beef in the fridge for more than a day or two, it may get very squishy.
4
Package the meat into Ziploc bags if you want to freeze it. If you want to save your boiled ground beef to use at a later time, let the meat cool to room temperature. Use a spoon to scoop up the meat and place it inside of the bag. Fill the bag about 3/4 of the way full, and place it inside your freezer. You can use the frozen meat to cook with at a later time or to feed your dog in the future.
- When you want to use your frozen meat, let it thaw in the fridge for 2-4 hours.
- For best results, use your frozen meat within 1-3 months.