Q. How do you fry ground beef without oil?

I regularly stay at a corporate apartment with a nice little kitchen that has only stainless steel pots and pans. Normally having real pans is a good thing, but when travelling I don’t usually bring oil or butter with me, and I don’t want to buy more oil than I need as I hate to throw out food (or pack it with me). And while stainless pans are inert and last forever, they’re a bit picky until they’re at the right temperature (and properly lubricated).

Instead, I use a variant of the reverse method with ground meat that works well. Start by heating up enough water to cover the bottom of a pot (the high walls will prevent splatter) and heat until simmering. Add the beef to the water, and break it up and stir. The fats will start to render out as the water evaporates, and a minimum amount of food will stick to the pan. If anything does stick, you can add a bit of water (or wine) and deglaze.

This might not work as well with ground chicken or turkey, as they tend not to have enough fat. For these, consider adding some sausage or salad dressing.