Drying Ground Beef for increased storage space

If you want a way to store ground beef for re hydration later, this is a really good method if space is of the essence in your storage area

1. Use lean or extra lean so that the fat is lower. Fry it up in a fry pan until it achieves the level of brown you want as this will be what it will taste like later.
2. Pour off the grease and then rinse hot water over it and drain, then salt to taste.
3. Re fry, turning it until it stops steaming.
4. Pour it onto a cookie sheet and place it into your oven on its lower temp. The less on a sheet, the faster it dries.
5. Turn it every six or so hours until it is bone dry
6. Pour it hot into a jar of your liking and close the top

It takes up way less space this way and can be eaten as such.

To re hydrate it, Place what you want in a pot with whatever spice you wish and lightly boil. Overnight produces the best (good for tacos) and no one can tell its not fresh.

Every tried just canning it? That seems like a lot of work, both before and after, for the same space canning does.
I love canning taco meat!

Originally posted by chiefsmom
Every tried just canning it? That seems like a lot of work, both before and after, for the same space canning does.
I love canning taco meat!

Could you kindly post the process for doing that ? I'm new to canning foods and would like to try.
Thanks

Why rehydrate it? If it was dry wouldn't it be like pre-chewed beef jerky?

Canning Ground Beef from The Homestead Series



They have some other informative videos too....still need to try these things myself, ive been interested.

Ground Beef is about the worst way possible of processing meat. If you eat ground beef, don't be suprised if you end up with cancer of the colon.

Originally posted by michael1983l
Ground Beef is about the worst way possible of processing meat. If you eat ground beef, don't be suprised if you end up with cancer of the colon.

Then i take it you don't chew your steak? Do you just swallow it whole or something?

Originally posted by AccessDenied

Originally posted by chiefsmom
Every tried just canning it? That seems like a lot of work, both before and after, for the same space canning does.
I love canning taco meat!

Could you kindly post the process for doing that ? I'm new to canning foods and would like to try.
Thanks

If you can the beef, I recommend frying it up to remove the fat and brown it almost dry. Then when it is canned, it re hydrates, to a good flavor and texture rather than what it can become, which is not good.

The reason why drying it has advantages, is space and weight. If you want something that has more uses in meals than jerky, this is the way to go.

Originally posted by RandyBragg

Originally posted by michael1983l
Ground Beef is about the worst way possible of processing meat. If you eat ground beef, don't be suprised if you end up with cancer of the colon.

Then i take it you don't chew your steak? Do you just swallow it whole or something?

That does not constitute Ground Beef.

reply to post by michael1983l


In our backwards little country of Mexico we still typically visit the butcher and he grinds the beef as we purchase it. Our beef tends to be much leaner than that usually found in the US, which is another thing called for in this beef drying process.

I have a meat grinder at home so most often purchase a beef round or such cut then can use it as I see fit, for carne asada, fajitas, cubed for in a stew, or grind it for any number of uses. I don't use ammonia or make pink slime so my ground beef passes that test. You may wish to do something similar and make it yourself but I get the idea you just don't care for ground beef regardless.

reply to post by Erongaricuaro


Actually any kind of meat when preserved or processed gives a huge increase in the likeliness of becoming ill with colon cancer. I love meat and I love processed meat but it is not good for us. Meat is meant to be eaten fresh and the more we play with it the more harmful it becomes.

I actually did dry some ground beef like that. I used grass-fed beef, which has much less fat. Then I crumbled it and dried it. Then sealed it in mylar with a O2 absorber.

I used it 3 months later as a test. Worked just fine.

I use the standard dehydrators. They aren't Excalibers, but they were free and I got two of them.

Hamburger rocks is what my dehydrating group on the dreaded social forum calls this. The process is same, fry till all fat is rendered. Rinse with hot water or in another instruction boil some more. Then dehydrate till hard and crunchy. Duration varies per process of choice.
It was mentioned why dehydrate instead of canning the beef. Longevity, weight during storage, ease of transport during hiking camping or buggin. Also duration of storage, canned items with ANY oils or fats will turn rancid in short order. So to have ground beef last long term, dehydrate.
Ground meats, as long as you know the content to be free of additives, are a cheaper more economical choice as far as preserving fresh.
There are other choices of preserving high proteins, we got a recipe for canned dry beans that is out of the world and can be modified to your own preferences. They go in the canner dry with broths, spices and add ins if you want or plain to be seasoned later, and they turn out amazing! With his permission granted here is his recipe. Now we're getting into the good stuff!

Ben's Beans
Pinto or other Dry beans
Use Dry beans,, PINTS,, 2/3 cup dry beans, add spices you wish,, add a couple Tablespoons of meat if you wish for added flavor,, top with boiling water to 3/4 inch head space,, process for 75 mins in Pressure Canner at 10 lbs or your altitude adjustment,, QUARTS 1 cup dry beans,, 3 or 4 table spoons meat if you wish,, add spices,, boiling water to 3/4 inch head space, process in pressure canner, for 90 mins, at 10 lbs or adjusted for your altitude,, NOTE,, if they are to thick for your liking,, next time,, omit 1 Tablespoon of beans, do not go overboard with the meat,, it will displace to much water the beans need to process right,

reply to post by SunflowerStar

Thanks for the recipe.