I'm starting with an assumption that Kenji often makes, which is that you shouldn't try to "Brown" ground beef when adding to a recipe, just cook it. He would argue by the time it is truly browned and acquired that flavor, you've cooked much of the moisture out of it. See that here (section "Browning Issues").
If that's the case, why does he still tell you to cook the ground meat in other chili recipes (or Bolognese). Wouldn't the simmering bring the meat up to a safe temperature and even potentially save some moisture lost in that initial cook?
Obviously there's applications where you do need to cook it (e.g., taco meat); I just think it's weird that it's always traditionally cooked first and then often mixed with a simmering liquid that would likely cook it. Seem like an unnecessary step.
by GimmeTaxShelter
10 Comments
I tried making chili once without browning ground beef first. The texture was absolutely awful and I dumped the whole thing. Never again.
Texture will absolutely be off…also rendering the fat out allows you to cook the remaining ingredients in
It’s more for texture than flavor. A high-heat sear of the meat gives it that familiar ground beef texture and preserves the size of the chunks you seared after it goes into the sauce. If you just put the raw beef into the sauce, you’re effectively boiling it and depending on the fat content and nature of the grind, it may just turn into mush.
In that article, kenji doesn’t say not to brown ground beef. He says you get better results by browning whole pieces of beef so you can retain some of the moisture content.
That doesn’t mean if what you are using is ground beef that you shouldn’t brown it.
Every time I make a ground meat based dish I brown the FUCK out of the meat. Like I keep going to town on it much longer than most people, mixing occasionally, until it’s actually the color of the sear on a steak. The flavor development from doing this is 100% worth the moisture loss. Without browning, the flavor is pathetic.
Brown your ground beef.
My family makes Cincinnati chili from the packets where you are supposed to boil the meat in the spiced water. I also use the technique for big batches of taco meat, just cut the water back to 5 cups. It’s easier that way for me.
Not always, ground beef can be boiled but I think there is a method to it. I’ve seen some Mexican places do it they boil it in a spiced stock, but they don’t let it absorb all the liquid just boil it until it’s cooked then drain the stock. It comes out super crumbly and flavorful. However, if you just add it to a chili or Bolognese where you’re not going to drain it, it might come out as a mushy inedible mess.
In the Cincinnati style chili recipe you boil the ground beef and don’t brown it. https://www.seriouseats.com/cincinnati-chili-recipe-8402230
I know I know I know. You love it. You hate it. It is chili. It isn’t chili. It is a Greek meat sauce. It’s disgusting. I love it.
One of my favorite recipes. I also use this technique when making taco meat. If you want that sloppy Taco Bell consistency it works.
Everything should be cooked if you want it to taste better than waterlogged ingredients
Its like Kenji can get it wrong from time to time😂
You could also use Test Kitchen’s trick and toss the meat in a little baking soda before cooking.