Sous Vide Ground Beef

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Sous vide ground beef comes out amazingly tender and juicy, whether you use lean beef or the more fatty beef (80/20). It comes out perfect every time!

You can make batches of sous vide ground beef to use in all sorts of dishes like tacos, pasta, rice, etc.

You may wonder why we even bother to cook ground beef sous vide. It's pretty easy to just cook in the pan, right? And quicker.

Well, it's all about the texture and the ability to batch cook it for me. It comes out so ultra tender, making it really easy to brown it up over high heat with some seasonings to use in an array of dishes!

And you can use any fat percentage and it still comes out ultra juicy and tender. Yes, even that ultra lean 97/3 ground beef!

So you can easily cook healthier ground beef without having to worry about whether it will come out dry, like these sous vide hamburgers and sous vide meatballs we love too!

Scroll down to see some ideas of how to use this sous vide ground beef.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• What is Sous Vide?
• Ingredients
• Step By Step Instructions
• Expert Tips
• Serving Options/Use Options
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Storage and Reheating Options
• Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why This Recipe Works

• The beef always comes out super tender and juicy - never dry!
• At 140°F, the beef is pasteurized in 12 minutes making it safe for any use.
• The beef is fully cooked so you can even use it by just heating it up with other ingredients.
• You CAN cook it with seasonings if you have a specific use for it (think tacos).
• It's perfect to use for meal planning as it is already cooked and ready to be seasoned and used for any dish.

What is Sous Vide?

Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator (i.e. the sous vide machine). This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.

Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.

To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking and the benefits of sous vide cooking."

What is the Water Displacement Method?

The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).

Use a clip (I use sous vide magnets) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.

Tools Used

• Anova Precision Sous Vide Cooker
• 12 quart container
• Vacuum sealer
• Vacuum-seal bags

You will also want to check out these posts on the best sous vide containers and the best sous vide bags for more information!

Ingredients

Really, any ground beef will work for this recipe. Usually I recommend 80/20 ground beef for its juiciness, but cooking sous vide allows you to use leaner cuts with the same results.

This makes it great for meal planning when you'd like to make something a little healthier. You can use up to 97/3 ground beef and still have outstanding results!

Step By Step Instructions

Heat a sous vide water bath to 140°F (60°C).

Place the ground beef in a vacuum seal bag and break it up so it's laying in a single layer.

Seal it and cook it in the water bath for 1 ½ hours.

Remove from bag and drain. Use in any dishes calling for ground beef.

More Temperature Options

Temperature	Time	Results
130°F (54.5°C)	1 - 2 ½ hours	Medium rare
140°F (60°C)	1 - 3 hours	Medium
150°F (65.5°C)	1 - 3 hours	Medium well
151°F+ (66°C+)	1 - 3 hours	Well done

Expert Tips

1. Make sure the beef is laying in a single layer to ensure it cooks evenly (see photos above).
2. Can cook it straight from frozen - just add an extra 20 minutes to the cook time.
3. Make sure the bag stays fully submerged the whole time - use sous vide magnets or other weights as needed.
4. If using right away, you can season it however you like in the bag. Just drain it before using.
5. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat before using to add extra caramelized flavor from the Maillard reaction.
6. If making in advance, remove the bag from the water bath and place directly in an ice bath for 15 minutes. Store in the fridge for 5-7 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Serving Options/Use Options

• Use in these ground beef recipes:
  • Stir fry ground beef
  • Instant Pot ground beef stroganoff
  • Mock turtle soup
  • Instant Pot chili mac
  • Tamale pie
• Season it with taco seasoning and use in hard or soft shell tacos.
• Use it in chili recipes (like this beef chili).
• Use it in Hamburger Helper or make your own by mixing it in with mac and cheese.
• Substitute it for shrimp in this Korean rice bowl.
• Season it and serve with cheese in quesadillas - or use it in chimichangas.
• Use it to make stuffed peppers or zucchini.
• Use it to make fried rice (basically a beef and rice stir fry).
• Use it with Velveeta over nachos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage and Reheating Options

Store the ground beef right in the bag in the fridge for up to 7 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months.

If making in advance, remove the bag from the water bath and place directly in an ice bath for 15 minutes.

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Recipe