Brown ground beef before adding wetter ingredients
Cook the beef with aromatics and seasonings until browned, then add vegetables and canned ingredients afterward.
Start by frying onion and garlic, then add the beef and seasonings and brown it off. Once the meat is browned, add peppers, black beans, and chopped tomatoes and mix.
The short version
- Brown the meat before adding beans/tomatoes.
- Aromatics (onion/garlic) go in first.
What goes wrong
Adding tomatoes/beans before the beef has browned
Brown the beef first, then stir in wetter ingredients.
Why it works
Browning first drives off moisture and creates deeper flavor; adding wet ingredients too early can prevent browning and lead to steaming.
Put it to use
Learn next
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