Ground Beef and Potato Skillet

Almost always two reasons working together. The potatoes are cut too big — anything over 1.5 cm won't cook through in 15 to 18 minutes on the stovetop before the outside burns. Cut them into 1 cm cubes and the problem usually goes away. The second issue is no lid. Without a lid the moisture escapes, the outside of the potato dries and crisps while the inside stays hard. Add 100 to 120 ml of broth, put the lid on, and cook on medium — the steam does the work from inside. If the potatoes still aren't done after 18 minutes, add a splash more broth and give it 5 more minutes covered.

80/20 gives more flavour. The fat renders out during browning, coats the pan, and that's where the deep meaty colour comes from. 90/10 is leaner, cheaper to cook with, but the flavour is noticeably thinner. With 80/20: drain most of the fat after browning the beef, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan. That tablespoon is enough to stop the potatoes sticking and gives them the meat flavour. Drain everything and the dish is dry. Leave it all in and it's greasy. With 90/10 there's less fat to worry about — just keep whatever's in the pan.

Yes, and boiling separately is a waste of time here. The sequence matters: brown the beef and onion first, drain excess fat, then add raw diced potato with broth and spices. Cover and cook on medium heat. The potatoes steam in the broth and absorb the meat juices — they taste better than potatoes boiled in plain water. The only condition is the dice size: 1 to 1.5 cm. Larger and they won't cook through in the same time as the beef. Stir every 5 minutes so the bottom doesn't stick and check with a fork after 15 minutes.

It needs both liquid and a lid. Without liquid the potatoes dry out and stick, and the beef loses its moisture quickly. About 100 to 120 ml of beef broth is enough — not to make a stew, but to create steam under the lid that cooks the potatoes from the inside. One tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and one of tomato paste add depth without making it wet. At the end, take the lid off for 3 to 4 minutes and let the liquid reduce — you want the potatoes just glazed, not swimming. If it looks dry while cooking, add broth a splash at a time.

It matters for texture. Starchy potatoes like Russet or Idaho break down at the edges during cooking and absorb the meat juices well — the result is closer to a hash, with soft crumbling edges. Waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or new potatoes hold their shape, stay separate, and look neater in the pan. For this recipe cooked with broth under a lid, Yukon Gold is the better call — they cook faster than Russets and don't turn to mush during the covered cooking stage. If Russet is all you have, cut slightly smaller (closer to 1 cm) and check earlier for doneness.