Post by Granny Smith on Mar 6, 2008 21:50:22 GMT -5
"Hamburger Rocks" are small chunks of cooked, dehydrated, fresh beef. They will store effectively for two or more years. Once rehydrated by soaking one cup of rocks in two cups of boiled water, the pre-cooked meat can be used in any recipe. It is delicious for tacos, spaghetti sauce, hamburger helper, tamale pie, lasagna, or your favorite recipe. It is very difficult to distinguish from fresh hamburger in a meal!
Regular ground hamburger turns into small "rocks," some "gravel," and a little "sand" when dried. Higher grades of ground beef will have larger pieces, with less 'sand'.
Still, be prepared to cry when you make the first batch, as 5 pounds of perfectly good ground beef will dehydrate into only one (1) quart of hamburger rocks!
RECIPE FOR HAMBURGER ROCKS
1. Using a large skillet (cast iron is great), brown and fry 5 pounds of ground beef. When thoroughly cooked, transfer the meat to a colander. Rinse under hot running water to remove the fat. Then clean the skillet with paper towels to remove excess fat from the first cooking.
2. Place the washed meat back into the wiped skillet and fry it again over medium/low heat, stirring often until you see no more steam. Keep the heat/flame low once the rocks are browning up nicely. Add about 1 t. of salt per 5 lbs of hamburger, as extra insurance against bacteria.
3. Place the "twice cooked" rocks into an oven roasting pan. Turn the oven to 250 degrees F, stirring and turning occasionally as the meat continues to dry. One to two hours should finish the job. Remove from the oven and check for dryness. When cool, pack into zip lock bags or mason jars. Pack tightly, expelling as much air as possible. Store in pantry drawers or shelves.
4. To "can" the hamburger rocks for long term storage, preheat canning jars in the over at 250 F, simmer the lids as usual, put the "rocks" into the jars while still hot, then seal the jars. After 15 minutes or so the jars will cool and you will hear the jar lids "pop" as they seal in place.
Regular ground hamburger turns into small "rocks," some "gravel," and a little "sand" when dried. Higher grades of ground beef will have larger pieces, with less 'sand'.
Still, be prepared to cry when you make the first batch, as 5 pounds of perfectly good ground beef will dehydrate into only one (1) quart of hamburger rocks!
RECIPE FOR HAMBURGER ROCKS
1. Using a large skillet (cast iron is great), brown and fry 5 pounds of ground beef. When thoroughly cooked, transfer the meat to a colander. Rinse under hot running water to remove the fat. Then clean the skillet with paper towels to remove excess fat from the first cooking.
2. Place the washed meat back into the wiped skillet and fry it again over medium/low heat, stirring often until you see no more steam. Keep the heat/flame low once the rocks are browning up nicely. Add about 1 t. of salt per 5 lbs of hamburger, as extra insurance against bacteria.
3. Place the "twice cooked" rocks into an oven roasting pan. Turn the oven to 250 degrees F, stirring and turning occasionally as the meat continues to dry. One to two hours should finish the job. Remove from the oven and check for dryness. When cool, pack into zip lock bags or mason jars. Pack tightly, expelling as much air as possible. Store in pantry drawers or shelves.
4. To "can" the hamburger rocks for long term storage, preheat canning jars in the over at 250 F, simmer the lids as usual, put the "rocks" into the jars while still hot, then seal the jars. After 15 minutes or so the jars will cool and you will hear the jar lids "pop" as they seal in place.