Make This Ground Beef Mistake When Cooking And You'll Be Left With A Bland Bite

It's dinnertime, and you're almost done browning the ground beef when you notice the inevitable pool of liquid pooling at the bottom of the skillet. If you're like many home cooks, this is the moment you'd take your pan and drain out the rendered fat before returning it to the stove. But it turns out that getting rid of that liquid gold is one of the most common mistakes when cooking ground beef, and the reason comes down to flavor.

The fat you see in your pan actually helps keep your meat juicy and gives it that rich, beefy taste. When you drain it out, you're essentially getting rid of all the tasty juices that came from the meat, which are also mixed with the flavorful seasonings you just added. If you're worried about the liquid adding too much moisture, know that it's just the fat and water that get released by the beef during the cooking process. It's also something that goes away on its own if you keep browning your meat, while giving the flavors more time to concentrate and allowing the beef to caramelize over the high heat once the water burns off. And all of this will further enhance that meaty, umami flavor you're probably looking for.

One of the main reasons people drain their ground beef is out of concern for the fat content. If that's the case, buy a blend with a lower ratio of fat. Just keep in mind that different lean-to-fat ratios work better in certain recipes, and one of the most important things is grabbing the right blend. Otherwise, you'll be stuck using a much leaner ground beef to make burgers and meatballs that typically use an 80/20 blend, and the flavor and texture will suffer as a result. 

There's also a practical reason not to drain your beef. A lot of people will go for the easiest route and pour it straight down the kitchen drain, but the big mistake of using the sink is that it can wreak havoc on your plumbing. As the fat cools, it will solidify and act as a trap for other debris, leading to slow drainage and eventual clogging. So, the next time you're browning ground beef, resist the urge to drain. Your taste buds and pipes will both thank you.