Make Ahead Ground Beef Food

MAKE-AHEAD GROUND BEEF CASSEROLE

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.

MAKE-AHEAD GROUND BEEF

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.

MAKE-AHEAD SANDWICHES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the ketchup, pickles, salt, pepper, garlic powder and pepper sauce; heat through. Stir in cheese. , Place about 1/3 cupful on six buns; serve immediately. Cover and refrigerate remaining meat mixture until cool. , Fill the remaining buns; wrap individually in heavy-duty foil and seal tightly. Freeze for up to 3 months. , To use frozen sandwiches: Bake in foil at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

MAKE-AHEAD MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• spray a broiler pan with Pam.
• Heat a sillet over medium high heat and add oil. Add the onion and cook onion in the oil until softened (3-5 minutes);stir in garlic and cook another minute.
• In a bowl combine ground beef (I used bison), onion mixture, and spices (parlsey - pepper). Stir in egg.
• For into 1-inch meatballs and place on broiler pand and bake for 10 minutes or until meatballs are fully cooked.
• Freeze meatballs on cookie sheet and then place in an airtight container until ready to use.

BEEF STROGANOFF (WITH MAKE AHEAD DIRECTIONS)

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.