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Recipe Review
published Mar 4, 2021
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When I caught wind that there were some videos going around on TikTok offering their two cents on how to cook ground beef, my immediate reaction was to cover my ears and run the other way. Why? Because the last time someone on TikTok decided they had some ground meat cookery advice, they were suggesting that you drain and wash your cooked meat under water. I’m surprised my phone screen didn’t shatter after playing this video. The HORROR!
Luckily, this most recent ground beef cooking tip has nothing to do with the previous nonsense that my virgin eyes had to endure. In fact, the hack is merely a simple addition of a pantry ingredient for seriously improved ground beef results. Ground Beef TikTok™ was a place on the internet that I swore I’d never return to, but after this hack, it looks like I’m here to stay.
@foodstead Why haven’t you started adding baking soda to your ground beef yet? ##food ##foodtiktok ##beef ##fyp ##foryoupage
♬ Hadal Ahbek – قرآن
TikTok Wants You to Add Baking Soda to Your Ground Beef
Here’s the tip: For every pound of ground beef, a good rule of thumb is to add about 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and to let the meat sit for about 15 minutes before cooking. From there, you can throw the ground beef in a hot, dry pan and cook it up.
Why would you want to do this? The main quarrel with cooking ground beef is that it expels so much moisture while cooking that it’s hard to achieve nice caramelization and browning due to all the liquid in the pan.
Some cooks get around this difficulty by cooking the ground meat in smaller batches so that less moisture is expelled, but this baking soda hack solves this issue with science! Since TikTok is a place where your brain cells go to die, the video doesn’t really delve too far into the reasoning behind why this works, but basically (punny) the high pH of the baking soda prevents the proteins in the beef from bonding. These strong bonds are what forces moisture out of the beef and leaves you with a pool of water in the pan, so by keeping these bonds from happening, you’re going to see way less moisture while you’re cooking.
Will this work with other meat? Since we understand the science, we can make an educated guess that this will hold up across all ground meats, but give it a try and let me know how it goes with turkey, chicken, lamb, or even sausage. Same goes for the fat content of your ground beef — based on the science, we can assume this hack works with your preferred fat content. The fattier the beef, the more rendered fat you might see in the pan, but it shouldn’t affect the success of your golden brown beef.
My Honest Review of Adding Baking Soda to Ground Beef
SMH, TikTok, you’ve done it again. I largely avoid cooking ground beef because it’s not my favorite flavor-wise, and on top of that, you have to throw in the agony of the fatty beef liquid that you’re left with when you cook it. Sorry, but I’ll respectfully pass. The baking soda not only prevented a large pool of moisture from accumulating, but it helped brown the ground beef bits and kept the meat juicy and tender. Forget that rubbery texture you might be used to with your ground beef — this was anything but that.
Don’t get me wrong, there was a minor amount of liquid that accumulated, but most of it was rendered fat and it did not impede the meat from achieving glorious, caramelized results. Is this hack going to make me a weeknight ground beef consumer? Probably not, but next time I’m throwing together tacos or a stir-fry, this is certainly going to be a trick that I keep in mind. I knew that baking soda could take your boiled and roasted potatoes to the next level, but now I know that it can also greatly improve your ground meat.
My Tips for Trying This Tip at Home
- Embrace the hot, dry pan. There are not many meat cookery applications where you’ve got a hot, oil-less pan, but this is definitely one of them. The beef will render some fat which it can cook in, and you will achieve better results with as little oil and moisture in the pan as possible.
- Let the meat cook undisturbed. Letting food cook without fussing with it is an extremely underrated cooking skill. I know it’s tempting to want to get in there with your spatula and constantly stir. Instead, you will have better results if you just barely break up the meat and let heat and science do its thing. The caramelization will be deeper and darker, and the meat is less likely to be overcooked.
- Season! The video doesn’t address seasoning but that’s equally important. Don’t be afraid to add in your favorite ground spices (smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne are all great with beef) and some salt and pepper to your taste.
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Recipe Review
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As an experienced culinary enthusiast and food expert, I bring a wealth of knowledge derived from formal education, practical application, and continuous exploration of various cuisines and cooking techniques. My expertise is deeply rooted in culinary arts, nutrition, and recipe development, allowing me to navigate the nuances of ingredients, cooking methods, and their effects on the final dish.
Let's delve into the concepts and terms present in the provided article:
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Ground Beef: Refers to beef that has been finely chopped or ground into small pieces. It's a versatile ingredient used in various dishes like tacos, burgers, meat sauces, and stir-fries.
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Baking Soda: A kitchen staple that, when used in cooking, can alter the pH level of ingredients. In the context of ground beef, adding a small amount (about 1/4 teaspoon per pound) before cooking can modify the beef's protein structure, reducing moisture loss during cooking and aiding in achieving better browning.
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Cooking Technique - Caramelization: The process where sugars in the food turn brown, creating a rich flavor and desirable browning on the surface. In the case of ground beef, achieving proper caramelization is often challenging due to moisture released during cooking.
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Moisture in Meat: When cooking ground beef, moisture release can inhibit proper browning and caramelization. Excessive moisture leads to steaming the meat rather than browning it.
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Cooking Tips: The article provides several tips for cooking ground beef with baking soda:
- Using a hot, dry pan to minimize added oil and maximize browning.
- Allowing the meat to cook without constant stirring to promote caramelization.
- Seasoning the ground beef with preferred spices and seasoning.
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Author Sara Tane: A food writer, private chef, and culinary graduate who has contributed to various publications. She emphasizes the benefits of adding baking soda to ground beef for improved texture and browning, as evidenced by her own experimentation with the technique.
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TikTok Food Trends: The article references TikTok videos suggesting cooking tips and explores the viral trend of adding baking soda to ground beef for enhanced cooking results.
In summary, the article focuses on the use of baking soda as a kitchen hack to improve the texture, browning, and moisture retention of ground beef during cooking, as popularized by a TikTok trend. The author, Sara Tane, provides personal insights, a review of the technique, and practical tips for implementing this method at home to elevate the quality of dishes involving ground beef.
