All purpose ground beef mix is just that, a make-ahead ground beef to throw into recipes on those busy nights when you need to cook, but have limited time.
To be honest, we first happened upon this idea when our freezer door was accidentally left ajar and all the packages of ground beef and venison that were in the door fully thawed. Raw meat that has been previously frozen shouldn’t be “refrozen”. However, if it’s been previously frozen in its raw state, it’s perfectly safe to cook it and then freeze it.
Once the meat has been fully cooked with the veggies, we repackage it into 1 pound packages and freeze it for later use in our favorite recipes such as chop suey, shepherds pie, lasagna, beef chow mein, etc. Any recipe that calls for a pound of browned ground beef (or turkey, venison, etc).
You’ll Need:
5 lbs Ground beef, venison or turkey
1 tbsp Salt
1 tsp pepper
2 cup Chopped celery
2 cup Chopped onion
1 cup Diced green pepper
Drizzle a large skillet with olive oil *this depends on the fattiness of your meat, if you’re using 90% lean ground beef or turkey or venison, you’ll want the oil) if you’re using 85% lean beef or less, you definitely will NOT want the oil.
Add the onions, peppers. and celery and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the meat, season with salt & pepper and brown it until it’s cooked throughout and no longer pink. Remove from heat, drain if needed. cool.
Measure 2 cups of mix into vacuum seal bag, seal, label. and freeze. Repeat until all the mix is used up.
Use this mixture in any recipe calling for a pound of ground beef, just adjust the cooking time slightly because the meat is already cooked!
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / SouthernLightStudios
i love to make these mixes and freeze them it really stretches a dollar and i never feel that i have nothing to cook. it is very nice to not worry about what i will cook and really helps in menu planning for the month.
i do this! this is a big help.
i do this. saves so much time. i work late often and having pre-cooked ground meat allows for me to still throw a nice hot meal together quick.
i can hamburger and chicken. i use the ball blue canning book. and have 2 pressure canners.
I do chili, seasoned hamburger, and several chicken recipes. I am planning to do some beef stew. The only freezer we have is the top of our fridge.
It is great to have these meats on hand whether they are canned or frozen.
Can anybody suggest some recipes for using this? I definitely want to make this, but I’m not sure what to prepare and how much of what other ingredients to use?
I have done this before and made sloppy joes by adding 1 can of beans, 1 small can tomato paste and some spices. You could also add spices and noodles for a quick version of hamburger helper. Or you can add macaroni and diced tomatoes and dry cheese sauce or a can of cheddar cheese soup.
The possibilities are endless, these are just a few.
Can you use regular freezer bags. This sounds like a good idea.
This looks wonderful! I’d like to can this for my food storage. What a wonderful find this for me.
Thanks a lot, yummm!
I make something like this, it does save time.
I need more recipes like this in my back pocket for when it’s a crazy night and we have no groceries and i don’t know what else to make!
I am making this right now. I am a little skeptical about the flavor profile. The seasoning may be a little light Just pulled it out of the broiler. Looks good waiting for the wife.
A great recipe! I used it in spaghetti sauce, chili, hamburger stew and sloppy joes. Great flavor, very convenient!
I so love the sound of this sauce! Adding roasted butternut squash to red enchilada sauce is just such a brilliant idea, Michelle – I think I could eat this sauce straight up!
Looks beautiful and delicious! I do some prep ahead meals but not that many. I think this is very worthwhile and nice to know you always have a meal on hand!
oh man, made this tonight and it is amazing! It gives the cheap beef I bought at walmart a lot more flavor and I was able to freeze 10 pounds of all purpose ground beef mix to use in recipes later.
So far we have made sloppy joes, taco meat, spaghetti sauce, and sweet potato shepherds pie with the cooked ground beef mix. I’m looking forward to hunting season this year, I plan on cooking 20-25 pounds of venison this way and having it ready for casseroles and quick meals.
Simple recipe. Very tasty. The whole family loves it. Added pesto to one. Delish!
I made a big batch of this All-Purpose Ground Beef Mix, and it’s been a game changer for quick weeknight dinners! 🍔🌮 I added some chopped onions and bell peppers to mine to sneak in extra veggies, and it works great in tacos, pasta, and even chili. Freezing it in small portions has saved me so much time.
Hi, I’m planning on making this recipe this week! I’m just wondering wether I’m supposed to use the thick canned coconut milk or the thinner stuff from the carton? If someone could help me out I’d be really grateful, thank you.