Rice to the Occasion

Seasoned Ground Beef Stir Fry Over Fluffy Rice

35 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerAmerican
Herb's take

Inspired by the efficient one-pan meals of home cooks everywhere, this dish turns rice and ground beef into a weeknight dinner with plenty of flavor and a couple of science-backed tricks. Discover the magic of blooming spices and the secret to never-gummy rice.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain thoroughly.
  2. 02
    Add 3 cups water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice with a big pinch of salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 17 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 more minutes to finish steaming. Fluff with a fork.
  3. 03
    While the rice cooks, heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
  4. 04
    Push the beef to one side of the pan. Sprinkle paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne, and sugar directly into the oil and beef fat. Bloom spices for 1 minute, stirring them into the oil before mixing everything together.
  5. 05
    Stir the beef and spices together. Cook for another 2 minutes, letting the flavors meld. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
  6. 06
    Turn off the heat. Add white vinegar to the beef mixture and stir to combine.
  7. 07
    To serve, divide the rice among four plates and top each with the seasoned beef. Sprinkle with extra black pepper if you're feeling bold.

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