Hi there,
When cooking ground beef for the likes of chilli con carne or bolognese I've seen two separate methods used:

1. Cook the mince first, getting rid of the water and letting it fully brown and fry on the outside giving whatever dish you're cooking a deep caramelised beef flavour

2. Cook it until the mince has barely turned from pink to brown and then throw in your vegetables not allowing the mince to brown fully or fry in its own fat

Which is correct? I've always done the first method, allowing the mince to fry in its own fat and brown properly to give the dish a nicer beefy taste, but whenever I watch the likes of Vincenzo or whatever on youtube making italian bolognese they always do method 2.
What's your thoughts?

>>21487284 (OP)
Personally I like the second method. You still end up browning the meat, but the vegetables also get that treatment. Browning the meat completely first means your onions, celery, carrots, whatever don't get a chance to do much caramelizing unless you end up overcooking the beef which then leads to chilis and sauces where the texture is grainy.

I always cook it fully before using it as an ingredient but I'm also paranoid.

>>21487295
Yes I do the same so the vegetables have a chance to soak in and release their flavor and tenderize a bit. If you cook the meat untill completion before anything else it will be a bit over cooked by the time everythings done

>>21487284 (OP)
3. Do the veg first because it needs longer to cook and sautee, add meat last

I first sear the meat, then remove it, then fry onions and carrots later other vegetables and add the cooking liquid then put the meat back in

>>21487284 (OP)
3. Form the beef into hamburger patties and then cook until well done then chop into little pieces and add other ingredients

>>21487339
This is the way. Fully brown your meat, remove it from the pan and use the moisture from the vegetables or later cooking liquid to release the fond from the bottom of the pan.

>>21487284 (OP)
Beef tends to get dry so I like making meatballs so the fat and juices get trapped in.
Say you make chilly the fat will float on top and the beefy bits will seem clothy in sauce.

beef mince, if browned, is horrendously overcooked. people cry over the grey cooked colour but thats the best you get without fucking it completely. then again, ive seen and eaten the way americans have "bacon"

>In a heavy non-stick 10-inch (24-26cm) casserole (aluminium or enamelled cast-iron (Dutch oven)
or terracotta saucepans can be used), melt the ground or chopped pancetta with olive oil.
Using a chef’s or chopping knife, finely chop the onion, celery, and carrot (do not use a food
processor); add the vegetables to the oil and pancetta and cook over low heat, stirring constantly
with a wooden spoon until softened but not browned.
>Raise the heat to medium and add the meat, break it up, then cook for about ten minutes, always
stirring, until it sizzles and browns.
the official bolognese recipe says to brown it

>>21487284 (OP)
fully brown, never drain anything.