Make Ahead Seasoned Ground Meat

seasoned cooked ground meat crumbles in plastic bag

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Make Ahead Seasoned Ground Meat

Making seasoned cooked meat ahead of time is great for meal prep and such a time saver. Cook up ground beef, turkey, or pork in advance, then freeze in portions. Defrost only what you need to make meals easier and quicker for busy weeknights!

Prep Time2

Cook Time5

Total Time7

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: meal prep, seasoned meat

Servings: (4 ounces per serving)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound lean ground meat (beef, turkey, or pork)
2 cloves garlic , minced
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes

Instructions

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add ground meat; cook breaking it up into tiny crumbles with a wooden spoon until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Drain off the grease.
Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, then season the meat with salt and pepper. Stir in the Italian herbs, onion powder, and red pepper flakes.
Spread meat onto a rimmed baking sheet and allow to cool completely; about 20-30 minutes.
Spoon the meat into a 1-quart freezer ziploc bag; squeeze all the air out, seal, label, and freeze up to 3 months.
To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
(Simply double this recipe and/or freeze in smaller portions to fit your needs.)

Nutrition