Ground Beef

Expiration time: 3-5 days

1. Meatballs

This is a great thing to perfect over time and can be used in pasta an in subs. The basic ingredients are always eggs, beef and bread crumbs. Some of my favorite meatball recipes are by epicurious and Rachael Ray

2. Hamburgers

My mother makes a hamburger closer to a veggie one where she adds finely chopped unions, carrots, edamame and cilantro if you only have a little bit of meat so that you can stretch it for longer. You can also go bun-less or use a non-traditional bread like a baguette as a bun to spice things up.

3. Bolognese

This is another thing to perfect over time and there are many different versions of this. Before making this, definitely brown the ground beef in a pan before simmering because it will give it a deeper flavor and if possible, simmer on heat for more than 2 hours. Add any other bits of meat that you have in the kitchen including pancetta, bacon, or even pork. One of the simplest versions of this is here.

4. Taco meat

Several grocery stores sell taco seasoning and this can be quickly added to group beef and then stored for another 5 days

5. Shepherd's Pie

This is one of my favorite things to make since stews are so easy! Once again, you can add anything you have leftover (frozen peas, beans, onions, carrots, wine, mushrooms, gravy). Simmer for more than 2 hours and then top with puff pastry or traditional mash potatoes. If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce I’ve used a mix of soy sauce and white vinegar before (not exactly the same but his the salty sweet and sour profile). Recipe here.

#meatball #hamburger #bolognese #shepherdspie