Food - Drink
The Kitchen Tool That Makes Cooking Ground Meat Easier Than Ever
By CYRENA GOURDEAU
The challenge with cooking ground meat is that it tends to stick and clump together, leaving you with lumps of chunky, uneven meat, even if you do your best to break it up with a spoon or spatula. Thankfully, one common and underrated kitchen tool can be used to break up ground meat for more even and uniform results.
Chef J. Kenji López-Alt recommends using a potato masher when cooking ground meat for chili, pasta sauces, and more. In combination with a wooden spoon, this handy tool can break ground meat apart in the same way it breaks down potatoes, so you end up with a uniform mixture that distributes evenly into your dish.
To try this method, press your masher down into the meat while it's cooking, then use a wooden spoon to scrape off any bits of meat on the masher and add them back to the pan. Repeat this process until all your ground meat is evenly cooked and ready to add to your bolognese sauce, fried rice, or other tasty lunch or dinner.