How To Cook Ground Beef In A Crock Pot

Cooked taco beef in a slow cooker with a wooden spoon in it.

How To Cook Ground Beef In A Crock Pot

Delicious, simple, and perfect for meal prep! Learning how to cook ground beef in a crock pot makes for easy meals on busy nights.

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword slow cooker,

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 5

Servings

Calories 495kcal

Author Shelby Stover

Equipment

1 7 Quart Slow Cooker

Ingredients

2.5 pounds Raw ground beef
2 tablespoons Garlic powder
2 teaspoons Smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Chili powder
1 teaspoon Sea salt

Instructions

Add the ground beef into the crock pot.
Season the beef and give it a stir.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours stirring every hour.
Drain the grease and you’re good to go!

Video

Notes

You’ll need to stir the crockpot ground beef about once an hour to keep breaking it up, and so that it cooks evenly.

Try to use thawed ground beef first as it’s easier to work with and there’s less chance of bacteria. If you use frozen ground beef or even if it's partially frozen, you’ll need to stir it more often to break it into chunks.

If you have leaner beef you may need to add ¼ cup of water so that it doesn’t stick to the crock pot. Likewise, you may not have to drain the grease afterward, it’s your call and preference.

Each slow cooker heats slightly differently so keep an eye on the beef the last hour to make sure that it doesn’t overcook.

The recipe should work with ground turkey as well. However, ground turkey tends to be more lean and so you may need to add a dash of water to the slow cooker when you cook it.

Nutrition