Savory Hamburger Packets

I have been asked to explain how I make a culinary time-saver that we use regularly in my home.  Hamburger is a common element to many dishes and we save time by cooking up a lot at a time. We then freeze it for later use.  My recipe uses 9 spices and flavorings.

Now, I am somewhat fastidious about my hamburger methods.  (You have been warned...)  The result is savory, juicy and delicious enough to eat all by itself.

Step 1:  Assemble the ingredients.

• 5 to 6 pounds of Extra Lean Hamburger
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Onion Powder
• Celery Salt
• Garlic Powder
• Beef Bouillon Powder
• A1 Sauce
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Parsley Flakes

Step 2:  Thaw hamburger as completely as possible.  It will still turn out OK if the center of the meat is frozen, but it works much better if the meat is soft all the way through.

Step 3:  Put hamburger into a large pan or pot.  Turn burner on high.  Use a wooden spoon to break the hamburger up and then liberally add Salt and Pepper.  Click the image to see a close up of the proper amount.

Step 4:  Use the wooden spoon to 'cut' the spices into the meat.  Push the spoon straight down into the meat, forcing the spices resting on the surface down.  You will repeat this step after adding each pair of seasonings.

Step 5:  If you prefer to have hamburger with some extra-browned pieces (as I do), then do not stir the hamburger at this time.  Let it fry on the bottom for several minutes.

Step 6:  Stir the meat by pushing it away from the edge and flipping up from the center and back towards the edge.  This will capture the juices and small amount of fat from the bottom of the pan and put it on the surface where gravity will cause it to flow back downward, coating each small piece of meat.  Let the meat cook for about two minutes after stirring to give it time to brown.  You will repeat this step after cutting the spices in.

Step 7: Add a small amount of Celery Salt and quite a lot of Onion Powder.  Click the image to see a close up of the proper amount.  Cut in the spices, stir, and allow to brown as described in steps 4 and 6 above.

Step 8:  Add a small amount of Beef Bouillon Powder and quite a lot of Garlic Powder.  Click the image to see a close up of the proper amount.  Cut in the spices, stir, and allow to brown as described in steps 4 and 6 above.

Step 9:  Pour a small amount of A1 Sauce and about twice as much Worcestershire Sauce.  Click the image to see a close up of the proper amount.  Cut in the spices, stir, and allow to brown as described in steps 4 and 6 above.

Step 10:  Add a small amount of Parsley Flakes and a bit more Pepper.  Click the image to see a close up of the proper amount.  Cut in the spices, stir, and allow to brown as described in steps 4 and 6 above.

Step 11:  Continue to brown the meat, stirring it periodically as described in step 6 above.  Once the meat is completely browned, continue to cook it until almost all of the juices have been boiled off.  The easiest way to tell when this point has been reached is to listen to the sound it makes - once it begins to sound more like a sizzle than a boil, you're done.

Step 12:  Allow it to cool in the pan for four to six hours. 

Step 13:  Spoon four or five sandwich bags full of the end product.  Squish them flat.  This makes for easy stacking in the freezer and allows you to easily snap them in half if you don't need a full bag for some other recipe later.

Step 14:  Put in the freezer on a flat spot so they freeze into shape nicely.  Overnight is long enough for them to be moved to better spots in the freezer should you need the space for something else.

Step 15:  Enjoy cooking some awesome-tasting dishes very quickly using these handy beef packets!