Ingredients1 lb ground beef (80/20 preferred)1 small onion, finely chopped(about 1/3 cup)1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided1/2 cup baking mix (about 60 g, such as Bisquick)1 cup milk2 large eggs (room temperature)Cooking spray or butter, for the pie plateSalt and black pepper, to tasteFor ServingChopped dill pickles or pickle slicesDill pickle relishYellow mustard and ketchupCrisp green saladSteamed green beans or roasted broccoliFruit salad, potato wedges, or baked beansDrain the beef thoroughly. That is the single most important step. Pick up a handful and squeeze it. If grease runs out between your fingers, keep draining. Excess fat keeps the custard from setting and makes the pie heavy.InstructionsPreheat and grease. Heat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch glass pie plate, working up the sides, and set it aside.Brown the beef and onion. Over medium heat, cook the beef and finely chopped onion, breaking it up as it goes, until fully browned with no pink and the onion is soft, about 7 to 8 minutes. Season lightly.Drain very well. Pour into a colander over a bowl and drain 3 to 4 minutes. Squeeze a handful. If it feels greasy rather than moist, keep draining.Spread the filling. Scrape the beef into the plate and press it into an even three-quarter-inch layer to the edges. Fold in the reserved third of the cheddar if using.Whisk the batter. Whisk the baking mix, milk, and eggs together for a full minute, until completely smooth with no white streaks.Pour over the beef. Start at the edge of the plate and work around in a circle so it flows down the sides. Do not spread it. It settles and forms its own crust.Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Bake until a knife in the center comes out clean, checking from 25 minutes. If still liquid, give it 3 to 5 more. This batter runs richer than most printed versions, so underbaking is the more likely problem.Add cheese and brown it. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar over the top. Return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes or run under the broiler until melted and lightly browned. Watch it constantly, because it scorches fast.Rest, then slice. Let it sit 5 minutes before cutting. Cut into 6 wedges with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped between cuts.Cook’s Notes~$8.75Total cost~$1.46Cost per slice~50 minStart to serve3 daysRefrigeratedCosts are estimates based on store-brand ground beef, a store-brand baking mix, a bag of shredded cheddar, and a large carton of milk. Brand and location will move the total, and the price of ground beef is the single biggest variable. Assumes 6 servings from a 9-inch pie plate. This is not the cheapest recipe on the site, and the article says so rather than pretending otherwise.The one step that decides everything: drain the beef until a squeezed handful feels like meat, not grease. Too much fat in the plate keeps the milk-and-egg custard from setting and leaves you a soggy, heavy bottom. This is where most versions of this pie go wrong.Grease the sides of the plate, not just the bottom. The batter grips the sloped walls and that grip is what makes it a self-supporting crust. On dry glass the edges release as a wet layer instead.Pour at the edge, not the center. Starting at the rim and working around lets the batter flow down the sides where it can set into crust. Poured in the middle it just pools in a puddle and stays wet.Nutrition (Labeled Estimates)Approximate values for 1 of 6 wedges from a 9-inch glass pie plate, made with 80/20 ground beef, a small onion, shredded cheddar, biscuit baking mix, whole milk, and 2 eggs. Estimates only; actual values vary significantly by brand, particularly the ground be
Cheeseburger Pie Recipe: An Oven-Baked Ground Beef Pie That Makes Its Own Crust
