Cooking ground beef using a hot, dry method, such as sauteing in a dry skillet, forces the juice out of the meat. The result is dry, tasteless meat. Use low, slow heat instead and simmer the meat with a bit of water, tomato juice or beef broth instead. Season the meat well with salt, pepper, onion and a bit of garlic, as desired. Drain off any excess liquid, then use simmered ground beef as the basis for numerous savory dishes, such as chili, sloppy joes, beef enchiladas or tacos.

The cooking method isn't the only factor that determines the tenderness of ground beef. Although you can buy ground beef that is 98 percent lean, choose meat that has a bit of fat for moisture and flavor. Add a little bacon or bacon fat during cooking for added moisture. Avoid frozen ground beef that has ice crystals in it. The ice crystals break down the cell walls in the meat, forcing moisture out and resulting in dry meat.