The Mess-Free Hack You Need To Strain Greasy Ground Beef

Ground beef is such a versatile meat, serving, as it does, as the base protein for many a taco night, sloppy joes, Bolognese, chili, and even tater tot casserole. But if you're using anything fattier than, say, a 93/7 or a 90/10, the grease collecting in the pan can pose a serious threat to your entire meal.

Well, there is an easy, mess-free method for straining your ground beef's liquids, per one crafty TikTok user, and it doesn't involve grease going down your sink. Rather, you'll take a medium-sized bowl and push down a sheet of aluminum foil into it so that the foil molds to the interior of the bowl. Then you'll take a fine mesh strainer (or colander with small enough holes) and place it over the bowl so that it's resting on the rim. When you're done cooking your beef, you'll take the pan to the bowl and pour everything through the strainer.

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The strainer will catch the meat but let the juices and grease pass through. Do with the beef what you will (whether it gets returned to the pan or set aside for later) and then you can either wait for the grease to solidify, or speed along the process by popping the bowl in the fridge. Then, to discard, you'll just bunch up the aluminum foil and throw it away.

There are a few reasons why straining your ground beef is the route to go, and it all starts with health. Speaking with Best Food Facts, Dr. Julie Garden-Robinson said that you can drastically reduce calories and fat from the meat by putting it, cooked, through a process that includes straining it, dabbing at it with paper towels, and then actually rinsing it with water. For example, that process will take four ounces of 80/20 ground beef and make it comparable to 90/10 beef, and while just straining it would remove less fat than going through every step listed, it still removes some fat; you'll certainly end up with less than you would if you did nothing.

Straining ground beef also makes your food more palatable, especially if you don't like the taste, texture, or both, of lots of grease weighing down your meal, or don't like it hardening when it's cool. It's important to note that fat is an integral part of ground beef's flavor, which is why some champion not straining your beef. However, you can easily make your taste buds dance again by seasoning your meat properly with salt and pepper, as well as adding any number of spices.

Another method for removing the beef grease and liquid isn't really straining at all — it is, in fact, "blotting" the grease up with paper towels. Once you're finished cooking your beef (or even a little bit before it's browned up to your liking), move it to one side and tilt the pan so that the grease pools on the other side.

Then you'll fold up a piece of paper towel and, holding it with tongs (or your hands, if you're fearless), put it directly into the pan to soak everything up. Keep a bowl on hand to the side of your stove to place the soggy paper towel directly; wait a few minutes at least for the paper towel to cool before tossing it in the garbage.

You might have to make a few swipes or passes, and depending on how fatty your beef is, you may even need more than one paper towel. This method for "straining" cooked ground beef is great if you don't feel comfortable (or have mobility issues) picking up your pan and holding it over a bowl. It can also be used mid-cook to get rid of some of the grease and fat and allow the beef to brown more efficiently. No matter which method you choose, know that there's no need to make a mess.