ONE-POT GROUND BEEF SPAGHETTI (DUMP AND GO)
makes 6 servings · total 25 minutes · tested

Engineered using the exact same no-boil, no-browning dump technique as
the Cheeseburger Macaroni. To prevent long spaghetti strands from
clamping together into a gluey mass under pressure, the noodles are
snapped in half and criss-crossed in a loose lattice over seasoned raw
ground chuck. Broth boosted with Better Than Bouillon and MSG hydrates
the pasta from below while tomato sauce sits entirely on top,
eliminating the risk of scorching on the bottom of the liner.

INGREDIENTS
  -- Base & Seasoning --
      900 g   ground chuck (raw, broken into bite-sized clumps; 80/20 or
              85/15)
      100 g   yellow onion (finely diced; approx. 1/2 medium onion)
      120 g   bell pepper (finely diced; 1 medium pepper (optional,
              matches burger profile))
        6 g   fine salt (fine; balances bouillon sodium)
        3 g   black pepper (freshly ground; approx. 1 tsp)
        6 g   garlic powder (dry; approx. 2 tsp)
        4 g   onion powder (dry; approx. 1.5 tsp)
        4 g   dried Italian seasoning (dried; oregano, basil, thyme
              blend)
        2 g   crushed red pepper flakes (dry; optional, for subtle
              warmth)
  -- Liquid & Pasta Layer --
      450 g   dry spaghetti (snapped in half; standard 16 oz box
              (approx. 8–9 min box cook time))
      700 g   water (hot tap; dissolved with bouillon and MSG)
       20 g   Better Than Bouillon beef base (paste; approx. 1 rounded
              Tbsp)
        3 g   monosodium glutamate (MSG) (crystal; approx. 1/2 tsp)
      700 g   marinara or tomato pasta sauce (jarred; approx. 1 standard
              24 oz jar)
  -- Finishing & Cheese Stage --
       60 g   Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (finely grated; approx. 3/4
              cup)
       30 g   unsalted butter (chilled or cubed; folded in to give sauce
              a glossy sheen)
       60 g   cream cheese or heavy cream (optional; omit for classic
              red, or include for a creamy pink tavern sauce)

STEPS
  Dissolve Base Liquid
    1. Pour 700 g hot tap water into a large measuring cup or bowl.
    2. Whisk in 20 g Better Than Bouillon beef base and 3 g MSG until
       completely dissolved and uniform. Set aside.
  Layer the Pot (Critical Order)
    1. The Meat Bed: Scatter the 900 g raw ground chuck in small, loose
       clumps across the bottom of the 6-quart pressure cooker pot.
    2. The Aromatics & Spices: Scatter the 100 g diced yellow onion, 120
       g diced bell pepper, 6 g salt, 3 g black pepper, 6 g garlic
       powder, 4 g onion powder, 4 g Italian seasoning, and red pepper
       flakes directly over the beef.
    3. The Criss-Cross Spaghetti: Snap the 450 g dry spaghetti in half.
       Lay the dry strands across the meat in alternating
       directions—place one handful horizontally, the next diagonally,
       and the next vertically in a lattice/cross-hatch pattern. Do not
       dump them in a parallel block or they will fuse together.
    4. Pour the Broth: Pour the prepared 700 g warm bouillon broth
       gently along the sides and over the pasta. Use the back of a
       spoon to press the noodles gently until they touch the liquid,
       but do not stir.
    5. Float the Sauce: Pour the 700 g jarred marinara sauce gently over
       the top of the pasta layer. Spread it to the edges with a spatula
       so the noodles stay covered, but do not let the thick sauce hit
       the bottom of the pot. Keeping the heavy tomato purée on top of
       the broth prevents burn warnings.
  Pressure Cook
    1. Secure and lock the lid. Turn the steam release valve to Sealing.
    2. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes (this yields al dente
       spaghetti for standard noodles with an 8–9 minute box
       instruction; use 4 minutes if using thin spaghetti).
    3. As soon as the timer ends, perform an immediate Quick Release of
       the steam.
  Finish & Emulsify
    1. Open the lid once the pin drops. The sauce may initially look
       separated or watery at the surface.
    2. Using two forks, tongs, or a pasta fork, vigorously toss and lift
       the spaghetti strands to break up any stuck noodles and
       distribute the cooked ground beef evenly through the pasta.
    3. Add 30 g butter and 60 g grated Parmesan (plus cream cheese or
       heavy cream if desired).
    4. Stir vigorously for 60 to 90 seconds. The residual starch in the
       cooking liquid and the melted fat will emulsify into a rich,
       clinging red sauce.
    5. Let rest uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set
       and adhere completely to the spaghetti before serving.

EQUIPMENT
  - 6-quart electric pressure cooker
  - Digital kitchen scale (gram-accurate)
  - Tongs or pasta fork
  - Chef's knife and cutting board

FOOD SAFETY
  - Ground beef reaches safe pasteurization temperatures well above
    $160^\circ\text{F}$ ($71^\circ\text{C}$) during the 5-minute High
    Pressure cycle ($240^\circ\text{F} / 115^\circ\text{C}$).
  - Cool leftovers to below $40^\circ\text{F}$ ($4^\circ\text{C}$)
    within 2 hours of cooking.

STORAGE
  - Refrigeration: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  - Freezing: Holds up better than dairy-heavy pastas. Freeze flat in
    zip bags for up to 2 months.
  - Reheating: Reheat in a pan over medium-low heat with 2 to 3
    tablespoons of water or extra tomato sauce to loosen the starch.

LICENSE
  CC BY 4.0: share and adapt freely, credit longproof and link to
  https://longproof.duckdns.org/recipes/one-pot-ground-beef-spaghetti-dump-and-go.txt
  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/