No, rinsing ground beef is

first → your safety question:

No, rinsing ground beef is NOT necessary, and actually it is NOT recommended.

Food safety guidance says:
you should NOT rinse raw meat because water splashes bacteria everywhere around the sink.

Ground beef is cooked all the way through.
Cooking (heat) is what kills bacteria — not rinsing.

So your mother-in-law was not doing anything unsafe by not rinsing it.
You can simply cook ground beef directly in the pan and season/drain fat later.

now your BIG RECIPE (with all sections you always request)

CREAMY TEXAS BEEF MAC & CHEESE

INTRODUCTION

This is a family Cowboy style comfort dish from the South of the United States.
It’s creamy, beefy, cheesy and it feeds a family fast.
Perfect for weeknight dinner when everyone is hungry.

HISTORY

Mac and cheese comes from classic American comfort food.
Ground beef was later added to make it more filling and more protein heavy.
It became famous in “church potlucks” and “family reunions” in the 1990s.

FORMATION (why this recipe works)

pasta = comfort carb
beef = satisfying protein
cheese sauce = creamy glue that connects flavor
This combination makes your brain feel safe + full + happy.

INGREDIENTS

for beef

500g ground beef
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 small onion finely chopped

for pasta & sauce

300g elbow macaroni pasta
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2.5 cups milk
1.5 cups cheddar OR mozzarella
pinch garlic powder
pinch salt (to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS / METHOD

boil pasta → drain → set aside.
in pan: cook ground beef + onion until browned.
season with salt + pepper + paprika.
in a pot: melt butter → add flour → mix 30 sec.
add milk slowly… stir… until thick.
add cheese → melt → now you have cheese sauce.
combine pasta + beef + cheese sauce in one pan.
mix everything gently on low heat 2 minutes.