The Warming Ingredient That Gives Ground Beef 10x The Flavor

Ground beef is one of the more affordable proteins in your grocery store meat department. Better yet, it serves as an edible blank canvas you can paint with all sorts of spices and sauces to take it to the next level. One such addition we swear by? None other than some good old fashioned ginger.

The aromatic root is just the thing to brighten up your ground beef. It adds zest and warmth without completely overtaking the meat's savoriness. The result is more of a palatable sweet heat than a tongue-scorching spiciness, making it an excellent choice for diners who are averse to the intensity of chili or other types of peppers.

Ginger is, of course, a staple in Asian cuisine, so it works particularly well with other Asian-inspired flavors. Iconic Hong Kong-American chef Martin Yan told Mashed that he considers ginger the most important ingredient in his cooking — and, indeed, adds it to the ground beef of his own signature Dynasty Burger, which he tops with spicy hoisin barbecue sauce. (FYI, Yan uses grated fresh ginger in his burger meat to achieve a vibrant kick, along with soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper.)

If you've never thought to cook ground beef with ginger before but intend to try, there are certain things to keep in mind. For one thing, there is a difference in flavor between fresh ginger and dried ground ginger, with the former having a brighter and sharper profile, and the latter tasting more peppery and earthy. Although you can certainly use either version in your dish, you should expect them to yield slightly different results. Fresh ginger's almost citrusy zest works well to cut through the fattiness of the meat, while ground ginger's earthiness supplies warmth and depth. 

In addition to elevating the flavor of your ground beef dish, fresh ginger also comes in handy as a tenderizing agent. The root features zingibain, an enzyme that helps to break down and soften the tough muscle fibers and connective tissue in beef, making it juicier and more tender upon cooking. (This is also why ginger is such a popular ingredient in meat marinades.) Ground ginger, however, does not provide the same benefit, as the enzyme is lost in the drying process. 

If the promise of a more flavorful (and more tender) meal isn't enough, perhaps ginger's host of health benefits will convince you to give it a try in your next batch of burgers or meatballs. According to Johns Hopkins, the plant-based ingredient can help improve digestion, reduce bloating, and may even provide some anti-inflammatory effects. No wonder it's considered a superfood.