Beef Crumbles for Meal Prep - For the Carnivore Diet
These beef crumbles are the ultimate carnivore meal prep: just beef, salt, and optional beef fat for extra richness. Cook once, portion, and you have a versatile base ready for quick breakfasts, lunches, or dinners.
Use 80/20 ground beef for a juicy result that reheats well. Keep the rendered fat in the pan so the crumbles stay moist and satisfying; that fat is flavor and fuel. Salt halfway through cooking for even seasoning. Let the meat sit undisturbed at first so it browns well, then break it up to your preferred crumb size.
Portion into containers while still warm so the fat coats the crumbles evenly as it cools. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in a hot skillet with a spoon of tallow, or microwave gently and stir. Serve as-is with the pan juices, fold into scrambled eggs, top with melted cheese, or moisten with a splash of hot beef broth.
For a nutrient-dense variation, blend in up to 10% finely minced beef liver before cooking. For hands-off batch cooking, spread the beef on a rimmed sheet pan, salt, and roast at 425°F/220°C for 12–15 minutes, stirring once, then portion with the rendered fat.
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) 80/20 ground beef
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon beef tallow or rendered beef fat (optional, for sautéing)
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until hot.
- Add tallow to the skillet and let it melt. Add the ground beef in an even layer.
- Press the beef firmly with a spatula to make good contact with the pan. Let it sear undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until the underside browns.
- Season evenly with salt. Begin breaking the beef into small crumbles, stirring every minute to brown all sides.
- Cook until no pink remains and the crumbles are browned and juicy, about 6–8 more minutes. Do not drain; keep the rendered fat for moisture and flavor.
- Taste and adjust salt. Turn off the heat and let the crumbles rest 1 minute to reabsorb some juices.
- Portion the hot beef and pan fat into 5 meal-prep containers. Spread in shallow layers to cool quickly.
- Cool uncovered for 10–15 minutes, then cover. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet with a spoon of tallow or in the microwave, stirring halfway.