Raise your hand if you saw a video on TikTok or Instagram and immediately tried the tortilla toaster trick or made that sliced bread breakfast sandwich that folds itself into a neat package. 🙋 We get it. Spending time on social media helps us find new ways to get inventive in the kitchen — and we love it when beef is the star of the post. Let us guide you to some of the best viral beef cooking trends we’re seeing out there. We’ll have you trying to get celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay to stitch you in no time!
Transformed cheeseburgers
Never underestimate our cravings for a good, old-fashioned cheeseburger. Beef and cheese in a bun? There’s a reason it never goes out of style. (Check out some of our fave recipes.) But even classics can be converted, and we love how inventive some people get with simple ingredients.
Instead of fries on the side, how about using them as the base? Think animal-style fries from In n’ Out, but raise the steaks with beef. Or, stuff the cheese into the patty — Juicy Lucy, for the win! Or, put flaming hot Cheetos in the patty? There’s a style of cheeseburger for everyone.
If you like to try out cultural cuisines, TikTok user Isabella (@Onlyjayus) has got you covered with an egg roll version that folds all the usual suspect ingredients into a wrapper, and deep fries them to a satisfying crunch.
@onlyjayusMaking 🍔Hamburger Eggrolls🥚🧻 for my gf <3 #fyp #cooking #cook #cookathome #hamburgers #cheeseburger #eggroll #howto #lgbt #gf #itsaremix♬ Buttercup – Jack Stauber
Of course, sometimes we want our crunch from crisp lettuce and that’s why we favorited Lenny Turner’s Big Mac Salad. Extra pickles, please!
@lennyturner1#fyp #foryoupage #bigmacsalad #salad♬ Let’s Do It Again – J Boog
Tortilla trend, but make it beef
The idea is so simple it makes us wonder why we never thought of it before. A simple slice into a tortilla, a little origami fold, and *boom* a tasty triangle! We’ve seen a million versions, but Carter Kimble’s cheeseburger version stopped us in our tracks. Shaping the patty to perfectly fit that tortilla wedge? Amazing.
@carterbk_Tortilla hack cheeseburger edition. #tortillatrend #tiktoktrend #trending #cheeseburger #tiktokfood #foryou #fyp♬ Baby Work It – Your Favourite Garçon
Smash it
A juicy burger with that crisp golden crust is utter perfection. The trick is in the strong smash in a hot pan. Devour Power has got this technique down pat with his “aggressive smash.”
@devourpowerHomemade SMASH BURGERS! 🍔🔥 Full recipe on our IG: DevourPower. #fyp #foryou #burger #recipe #cooking #smashburger #burgers #homemade #quarantine♬ original sound – DEVOURPOWER
Flip it and reverse it
A perfectly good steak with a nice crust is the meal of dreams. But if you’re worried you’ll overcook that nice cut of beef, think backwards.
A reverse sear removes the guesswork. You’ll get an even doneness by starting the steak in the oven where YOU can control the temperature. Then, a quick sear in a hot pan will give you that perfect golden edge. Watch how it’s done in our video.
If you are going to stick to the stove, we believe in you! Ignore that old “rule” that you only ever flip a steak once, keep it juicy by flipping it several times in the cooking process.
Butter is better
Whether you’re reverse searing or using the stovetop to cook your steak, consider the beauty of butter basting. Throwing in a chunk of butter when the steak is close to done will add extra moisture and flavor to your steak.
When the butter melts, which will happen pretty quickly, tilt the pan so it collects into a pool and use a spoon to baste the steak with butter for a nice rich flavor. When we’re feeling fancy (which is always), we love to add a clove or two of smashed garlic and some fresh herbs, like thyme or rosemary, to the pan while basting for some added flavor.
TikTok user Flakey Salt shows you how it’s done.
@flakeysaltHow to cook a real steak. No more bad steaks from now on. #food #cooking #steak #tailgateszn #tastesdifferent #fyp #foryou #foodchallenge #foodlover♬ original sound – Joshua weissman
Freezer friendly
Buying ground beef in bulk? We’ve got the best trick — especially if you just want to use just a bit at a time. Add the beef to a plastic zip-top bag, and then press it as flat and evenly as possible. This makes it easier to store in your freezer — when frozen, you can even stand it on its side! — and faster to thaw.
*Life Hack* If your favorite recipe only requires a small amount of ground beef, press indents into the beef to make uniform squares for easy portions. Next time you only need a little bit of beef? Snap off a square without having to defrost it all! Mind. Blown.
Not your average nachos
Even the biggest platter of nachos sometimes doesn’t feel like enough. There, we said it. But when your entire table is the plate, that’s another story.
A field of chips, a river of queso, dips for days, and, of course, plenty of spicy ground beef to go around. Watch Stefanie (Stefherder) put it together and tell us you’re not tempted to try it too.
There’s a reason that video has more than four million views!
@stefherderwe always make a nacho table during family vacation 🧀🌮 #DontLeaveMe #MakeSomeoneSmile #nachotable #foryou #puremichigan #vacation #family♬ CEO of speaking French – I.y.a
There are so many good tips, tricks and food hacks to be found on social that we can’t begin to list them all, but beware: not everyone is worth a follow. Take it from Gordon Ramsay.
Try out these beefy trends for yourself and let us know which is your favorite.