Make Ahead Ground Beef Recipes

Steps:

• In a 12-inch skillet, cook beef, onions and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring frequently; drain. Reduce heat, cook 5 more minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.
• Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil and spoon beef onto foil.
• Break beef apart as necessary, ensuring that it's spread evenly on the pan.
• Freeze about 1 hour, stirring once, until firm.
• Divide mixture into quart-sized resealable freezer plastic bags or containers with about 2 cups in each. Label and freeze up to 2 months.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 10x14-inch baking pan or large casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Cook and stir ground beef and onion in a hot skillet until beef is browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Pour cream of chicken soup into the skillet. Fill the empty can with chicken broth and pour into the skillet. Add celery, water, rice, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and salt. Mix well. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and rice is cooked through, about 1 hour.

Steps:

• In 4 1/2- to 5-quart Dutch oven, cook all ingredients over medium-high heat 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned.
• Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Cool 5 minutes.
• Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil. Spoon mixture onto foil. Freeze about 1 hour, stirring once, until firm.
• Divide mixture into resealable freezer plastic bags with about 2 cups in each. Seal bags; label. Freeze up to 2 months.

Steps:

• Heat sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot.
• Sauté half of the beef in 1 Tbsp of butter briefly to brown.
• Remove beef and any juices from pan into a bowl.
• Repeat with second half of beef.
• In same pan, without washing out, add 1 more Tbsp of butter and sauté the onions and mushrooms until soft.
• Remove to bowl with beef.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook noodles per the package directions while finishing the sauce. (Skip this step if you are making ahead.).
• Melt remaining 3 Tbsp of butter.
• Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
• Whisk the broth into butter-flour mixture, slowly to prevent lumping.
• Add ketchup, paprika, basil, and nutmeg.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until sauce has thickened.
• Add meat, mushrooms, and onions to sauce and continue to simmer for 5- 10 minutes more.
• Remove from heat and stir in sherry.
• Stir in sour cream, and serve immediately over the drained egg noodles.
• MAKE AHEAD: Complete the sauce up through adding the sherry. Cool completely, and freeze.
• Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
• Prepare noodles according to package directions.
• While noodles cook, reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat until hot.
• Off the heat, stir in the sour cream, and serve as above.