There are some unchangeable truths about cooking, one of which is that, no matter how lean your ground beef may be, it will release some grease into the pan when it is cooked. Sure, you can just stir it back in. However, you can drain it as well (possibly preventing coronary artery disease in the process). In the days before the internet regularly alerted us to all the numerous errors of our ways, many people would simply have poured that beef grease down the drain. But then, if you drain the hot liquid, what are you supposed to do to dispose of it? Express Sewer warns that if you repeatedly do this, you may end up with a significant clog in your pipes.
Other options include dumping the grease into an old can and throwing it away (although doing so isn’t entirely environmentally friendly), or wiping the grease with paper towels (although that seems like a waste of paper towels). Alternatively, you could wait for the grease to harden in the pan before wiping it out and throwing it away, but isn’t that just an excuse to leave your dirty pan sitting on your counter? It might seem like there isn’t a perfect solution, but thanks to this popular TikTok from @dev in. a. We now have a workable hack, grif (Devin A Griffith), that promises to permanently alter the way we drain our ground beef.
Drain the Fat With a Spoon and Turkey Baster
- A metal spoon
- A bowl or cup
- A glass bowl
- A turkey baster
- A few paper towels
- An empty can
- Large nonstick pan
- Tin-foil lined container
Step 1: Cook Your Ground Beef
Start cooking your ground beef as you normally would after mincing the beef in the mincer.
Place a large nonstick pan over the fire and add all of the ground beef. Cook for no more than 10 minutes while maintaining medium-low heat. Until the ground beef turns golden brown, stir it occasionally.
You might want to add spices, such as salt and pepper, to the ground beef. The choice is yours.
Step 2: Tilt the Pan a Bit and Gather the Meat on the Upper Side
Use a fork or spoon to move all the beef to the side. Simply tilt the pan so that the oil collects on the opposite side to finish.
To prevent spilling the fat on your burner or work surface, take care not to tilt the pan too much.
Step 3: Transfer All the Fat to a Tin Foil Lined Container
You can do this using a large metal spoon. I prefer to use an empty aluminum box for cleaning. In the absence of one, you can line the bowl with tin or aluminum foil. Then pour the fat in.
Tin foil can be used to cover the container to make cleaning it easier, but it is not required.
Step 4: Use a Turkey Baster to Suck Up the Fat
You may use this instead of using a spoon. I frequently use this to complete the draining after spooning. The blaster’s tip should be held while being dipped in grease. Then release it to suck the fat inside.
Make sure that the hot grease doesn’t get on the silicone portion of the bulb. Otherwise, it could melt.
Step 5: Wipe Off the Rest of the Fat With Paper Towels
With paper towels, you can finish it off after sucking up all that fat. This will make cleaning easier. Take some paper towels and dab the pan. If there is any remaining oil in the pan, get more paper towels and keep wiping it. When the paper towels cool, dispose of them.
Step 6: Freeze Accumulated Oil or Fat in a Bowl or Box
Keep some of the ground beef fat that was removed.
You should let it cool for 10 to 20 minutes. Once cooled, put the bowl in the freezer. The fat should solidify within a few hours.
I frequently use frozen meat fat in place of butter or lard in my recipes.
How to Drain Grease From Minced Meat Using a Colander?
Below are some items you’ll need for this tutorial:
- A skillet
- A glass bowl
- A colander
Step 1: Brown the Minced Meat in a Pan for 10 Minutes
As usual, we start by slowly cooking the meat to render the fat. Place a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat and add all the chopped meat to it.
Stir the meat until it is golden brown. This will take about ten minutes.
Step 2: Pour the Ground Beef Into a Colander Set Over
Place a colander over a glass or ceramic bowl and pour the ground beef into it to drain. This will catch all the grease from the beef. The meat will continue to be in the colander as the boiling fat drains into a bowl.
Do not use a plastic bowl. Otherwise, it may melt.
Step 3: Pour Hot Water Over the Meat in the Colander
Pour hot tap water into a mug and over the cooked ground beef. Hot water will remove residual fat. Cool water won’t. The melted fat on the cooked ground beef can only be solidified.
Repeat this action to trim the meat of as much fat as you can.
Step 4: Let the Fat Cool for Up to 20 Minutes
Place the bowl of fat in the refrigerator once it has cooled. Never place hot water or fat in your refrigerator. Instead, do that when the grease cools.
Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours after allowing it to sit at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes. Over the water, the fat will solidify and form a layer.
Wait until the fat has solidified before removing it from the refrigerator. Then, you can use the remaining fat in your dishes as butter or lard.
Step 5: Remove the Layer of Solid Fat
Make sure to remove and discard the solid layer that has developed on the water’s surface. Use a spoon to do this. You can run the water down the sink drain after removing all of the grease.
Are You Supposed to Drain Ground Beef?
No, you don’t need to drain grease from ground beef. It’s a matter of choice. However, draining the ground beef will improve its nutritional value and make it leaner. So, yes to fat draining!.
Is It Ok to Drain Ground Beef in Sink?
I wouldn’t do that if I were you. It doesn’t matter whether you use hot or cold water. It is a recipe for disaster to pour grease or fat from the ground beef. Your pipes will become clogged when the grease solidifies after cooling.
What Happens if You Don’t Drain Grease From Ground Beef?
The grease isn’t just grease. It’s common knowledge that red meat is high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Draining the fat means bringing the cholesterol and saturated fat to a safe level (or at least close to it). high in saturated fat and cholesterol
Related Reading
A dish will be healthier if the fat from the ground meat is removed, and some recipes even call for it.
To get rid of all the fat, you must first brown the meat. After that, you can use a spoon to remove it from the pan’s bottom or a colander to drain the meat.
Finally, you must properly dispose of the boiling grease because there is a chance that it will clog the sink’s plumbing.
How to Drain Ground Beef
FAQ
What is the easiest way to drain grease from ground beef?
Throw it away As gluey oils and animal fats will damage your plumbing, toilets, sinks, and floor drains are all off-limits. Instead, turn to your garbage can. After cooling and solidifying, oil can be sealed in a container and discarded in the trash.