Ground meat clumps in the pan because the pan may not be hot enough or the meat may be stirred too early and too often. Ground meat placed in a cold pan releases water all at once; it boils in that liquid, and the pieces stick together in clumps. The solution is to heat the pan thoroughly, spread the meat out, leave it untouched for 1-2 minutes, and break it up only after the underside has browned. All three rules need to be followed together; if one is missed, the result will not change.
When meat is ground, soluble protein is brought to its surface, where it acts like glue when heated. If the pan is not hot enough, the meat quickly releases its juices, which collect in the pan; the pieces boil in the liquid, the surface protein coagulates, and neighboring pieces stick together. The resulting clumps will not break apart later, because cooking has formed the bonds. The same problem becomes worse when frozen ground meat is put directly into the pan before thawing. It is more noticeable in low-fat ground meat because there is less melting fat to keep the pieces apart.
The first rule is to preheat the pan. Before adding the ground meat, heat the pan thoroughly over medium-high heat; it is ready if a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately. Add the oil after the pan is hot. When the meat goes into the pan, you should hear a loud sizzle; this sound indicates that the water is evaporating immediately instead of pooling. If there is no sizzle, remove the meat, heat the pan again, and start over. The pan material also makes a difference: a heavy-bottomed pan retains heat much better than a thin one.
The second rule is patience. After adding the ground meat to the pan, spread it with a spatula into a single layer and leave it untouched for 1-2 minutes. During this time, the underside browns and the pieces bond to the pan rather than to one another. Only after the underside has browned should you break up and turn the meat with a spatula. Ground meat stirred constantly from the start cannot brown on any surface; it releases only its juices and turns gray and lumpy. Do not add salt at this stage either: salting too early makes the meat release its juices sooner and delays browning.
The third rule is not to overcrowd the pan. If too much ground meat is added at once, the released liquid cannot evaporate quickly enough; it pools in the pan and keeps the temperature fixed at 100°C / 212°F, where browning cannot begin. Add only enough ground meat to form a single layer on the bottom; divide the rest into 2-3 batches. For the same reason, if the ground meat is left on the counter for 15 minutes instead of going into the pan refrigerator-cold, the pan temperature drops less. Add onions and vegetables only after the ground meat has browned, not at the same time.
If clumping has started, the answer is not to stir more; turn up the heat and wait for the water to evaporate. Once the water is gone, the ground meat will start browning, even if belatedly, and you can partly break up the clumps by pressing them with the edge of a spatula, though they will not return completely to their original state. Large clumps also pose a risk because their centers heat more slowly. For ground meat to be considered cooked, every part must reach 71°C / 160°F, or 74°C / 165°F for ground chicken and turkey; color is not a reliable indicator.
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