Cheddar Bay Hamburger Casserole in One Skillet Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before beginning, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Measure out all the ingredients and place them within reach on your counter. Chop the fresh parsley and set it aside for the final garnish.

Ensure your cast-iron skillet is clean, dry, and ready on the stovetop. If you are using homemade biscuit dough or gravy, have them prepared and ready to go. Having everything organized beforehand ensures a smooth and rapid cooking process.

Instructions

Browning the Beef and Simmering

1. 1Brown the Seasoned Ground Beef
   Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes until completely browned and no pink remains. Drain any excess grease from the skillet.
   Look for The beef should be finely crumbled and fully browned.
   Tip Use a cast-iron skillet for the best sear and flavor retention.
2. 2Simmer with Beef Gravy
   Pour the beef gravy into the skillet with the browned ground beef. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until hot and bubbling.
   Look for The gravy should be bubbling gently and thoroughly combined with the beef.
   Tip Stir continuously to prevent the gravy from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

At the end of this phase, the seasoned ground beef should be completely browned with no pink remaining, and any excess grease should be drained. The added beef gravy should be combined thoroughly with the beef, bubbling gently over medium heat.

The mixture should look rich, glossy, and hot, filling your kitchen with a savory, comforting aroma before you proceed to assembling the toppings.

Assembling the Biscuit Topping

3. 3Top with Biscuit Dough
   Drop the Cheddar Bay biscuit dough by rounded tablespoons evenly over the simmering beef and gravy mixture in the skillet, leaving slight spaces between the dollops to allow the biscuits to expand.
   Look for The biscuit dough dollops should sit on top of the gravy without sinking.
   Tip Use two spoons to easily scoop and drop the sticky dough.

At the end of this phase, the Cheddar Bay biscuit dough should be dolloped evenly across the surface of the hot beef and gravy mixture. The skillet should remain on low heat so the gravy continues to simmer gently under the dough. This helps kickstart the cooking process for the bottoms of the biscuits, ensuring they steam beautifully while the tops prepare to bake in the oven.

Baking and Melting the Cheese

4. 4Bake Until Golden
   Transfer the skillet to a preheated oven at 400°F (204°C). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the biscuits are puffed and golden brown. Ensure the ground beef underneath is fully cooked and has reached a safe internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
   Look for The biscuits should be firm and golden, and the gravy should bubble at the edges.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (ground meat)
   Tip A toothpick inserted into the center of a biscuit should come out clean.
5. 5Melt Cheese and Garnish
   Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the hot biscuits. Return the skillet to the oven or broiler for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheddar is completely melted and bubbly. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
   Look for The cheese should be fully melted and gooey, with a beautiful stretch.
   Tip Keep a close eye on the broiler to prevent the cheese from burning.

At the end of this phase, the biscuits should be puffed, cooked through, and beautifully golden brown on top. The cheddar cheese sprinkled over the biscuits should be completely melted, bubbly, and slightly golden around the edges. When the skillet is gently shaken, the rich beef gravy underneath should bubble up around the edges of the golden-brown, cheese-topped biscuits.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is using biscuit dough that is too wet or runny, which causes it to sink into the gravy rather than sitting on top to bake into fluffy biscuits. The dough should be thick and scoopable.

Another mistake is not preheating the oven properly, which prevents the biscuits from rising quickly and results in a dense texture. Finally, ensure you drain excess grease from the beef so the gravy does not become greasy and separate.

How to tell it’s done

The casserole is done when the biscuits are firm to the touch, golden brown on top, and cooked through in the center. Verify that the ground beef filling has reached a safe internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) using a food thermometer inserted into the center of the dish.

The cheddar cheese on top should be completely melted, gooey, and bubbling, and the savory gravy should bubble actively around the edges of the skillet.

• Ground meat: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part