FREEZER GROUND BEEF BASE

This make-ahead ground beef mixture can be used in soups, pasta sauce, casseroles or any other recipe that needs some basic browned beef. We especially love pulling it out of the freezer to use for our Pizza Soup.

Yield: Makes 15 cups.

FREEZER GROUND BEEF BASE

Ingredients

  • ​5 lb (2.5 kg) lean ground beef
  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 3 cups chopped onions
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions

  1. In a large non-stick frypan over medium heat, cook beef in batches, stirring to break up beef, until browned and cooked through.
  2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a large bowl; set aside. Drain off excess fat from frypan.
  3. Heat oil in same frypan over medium heat. Add onions and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add parsley, Worcestershire sauce and garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
  5. Add onion mixture to beef; stir to combine.
  6. Cool beef mixture quickly by placing bowl in a sink of ice water and stirring beef mixture frequently to allow steam to escape. Do not allow ice water to enter bowl.
  7. Spoon cooled beef mixture into freezer containers and freeze for up to 2 months.
  8. Thaw beef mixture in refrigerator and use once thawed.
Nutritional analysis per 1 cup serving:

261 calories, 13.4 g fat, 29.7 g protein, 3.8 g carbohydrate, 0.8 g fibre, 111 mg sodium