Step 1

Heat the pan and coat with oil. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. The oil helps prevent the ground beef from sticking and scorching in the pan, especially if you are using a stainless steel skillet. Use a little extra oil if you're cooking lean beef. You can omit this step if you want to avoid the extra fat, but pay close attention to the meat during the first few minutes of cooking to ensure it doesn't burn.

Step 2

Add the meat to the hot pan and break into large pieces. Add the meat to the center of the hot pan. Use a stiff spatula to break the meat into a few large pieces. Let the meat brown without moving it for 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 3

Break meat into smaller pieces, season, and brown. Break the ground beef into smaller and smaller pieces with your spatula. Sprinkle with salt and any spices you are using. Do not stir continuously, instead let it cook for a minute between each stir to let the moisture evaporate and allow the meat to brown.

Step 4

Finish browning. The beef has finished when it is evenly browned and shows no signs of pink. Break open a few of the larger crumbles to make sure that it has browned all the way through.