How to cook 4 pounds of ground beef in a slow cooker without doing much work...

I love my slow cooker.  This big one can cook 4-5 pounds of raw ground beef in a few hours.  Then I can freeze it in one pound portions for quick suppers.  So, here's how I do it:

Step 1: Spray the inside of the ceramic crock with a nonstick oil.  You will thank me for this step when you have to clean the crock later.

Step 2: Put in the ground beef and season it.  You will want to add about 1/2 cup of liquid to it to help the slow cooker do it's thing.  We had leftover wine, so I used it up. 

Step 3: Put on the lid and crank up the heat to high.  This 4 pounds of thawed beef took about 3 hours to cook.

Step 4: You will need to stir the ground beef every 45 min or so.  If you do not, you will end up with a single lump of beef (like meatloaf) instead of ground beef.

Step 5: The beef is done when it's brown through and through.  I usually use a slotted spoon to scoop out the beef and put it in zip lock bags (IDK why there is a ladle in the crock in the picture).  Then I freeze the bags.  You will have a cup or two of very yummy beef broth in the crock.  Freeze it and use it in another recipe. 

Happy Short Cut to Dinner

Less time in the kitchen means more time for family fun!