Okay, so did any of you watch The Next Food Network Star during the summer of 2008? You know, with Kelsey, the perky little blonde girl (and now that it’s 6 years after I wrote this post, you know, Kelsey who has a best-selling cookbook and her own show on The Cooking Channel and an amazing line of products?) The one who made Sloppy Joes for a challenge and then had to serve them to Martha Stewart? And Martha Stewart wouldn’t eat them? (Click here for a very astute defense of the Sloppy Joe in reference to this incident.) Yeah, that’s kind of how I’m feeling today. The inner Martha in me is saying, “Really, Kate? Sloppy Joes?” And yet…what can I say? I think these are delicious. Like make-myself-another-half-sandwich-even-though-I’m-not-hungry delicious. Like sneak-into-the-kitchen-in-the-middle-of-the-night-to-see-if-the-mixture-tastes-good-cold delicious. Top it off with the fact that Sloppy Joes just feel like fall to me–you know, something warm and family-friendly that can simmer while everybody’s out trick-or-treating or something you can fill a thermos with and enjoy at a chilly football game.
One thing I love is that it’s versatile–you can make it in about 30 minutes, it can be semi-prepared and frozen and then cooked in the crockpot, or it can simmer in the crockpot for a few hours, whatever works best for you.
You’re going to need a medium onion, a green bell pepper, 3-4 cloves of garlic…
Some lean ground beef (I use 90% or 93% lean), seasoning salt (I actually use McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning), ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, red vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste.
Chop the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat about 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. When hot, add the beef and brown it, stirring frequently, with the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Season to taste with seasoning salt.
Add in mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Combine tomato paste and water and add to hamburger mixture. Add more water if desired. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve on hamburger buns (we actually love them topped with pickles and served as sliders on King’s Hawaiian Rolls). If you want to make your own buns, try this recipe–it’s all kinds of amazing.
Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- Seasoning salt to taste
- 1 medium onion minced
- 1/2 green pepper minced
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 3/4 c. ketchup
- 1 tsp. mustard
- 3 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
- 3/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/3-1/2 c. water to reach desired consistency
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 6-8 hamburger buns
- Pickle slices
Instructions
- Chop the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat about 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. When hot, add the beef and brown it, stirring frequently, with the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Season to taste with seasoning salt.
- Add in mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Combine tomato paste and water and add to hamburger mixture. Add more water if desired. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve on hamburger buns (we actually love them topped with pickles and served as sliders on King's Hawaiian Rolls).
Questions & Reviews
My Husband and I made these for dinner tonight. They were a huge hit. The weren’t too spicy and they weren’t too sweet. They were the perfect blend. Our kids even ate them, which was surprising. I will be making these for a luncheon following my son’s baptism next month.
Thanks for the great recipe!
These are amazing! I find myself making them again and again because they’re so delicious!
Mmm love these sloppy joes! If u ever have an abundance of zucchini from your garden, we like to chop it up small and add it into our sloppy joes. Makes u feel like u got something nutritional out of the meal, and doesn’t affect the taste of the overall joe. .)
Love these! Love, love, LOVE. Pretty much my favorite sloppy joe EVER. And all my kids liked it, which was a definite bonus.
A definite success! This was the perfect mix for our family–not too sweet (for my husband), not too peppery (for me), and with some veggies mixed in (chopped up super fine, for my picky little eater). This will be the new sloppy joe recipe at our house for sure! Thanks!
Seriously the best sloppy Joe mix ever!!!! A little sweet but still so good. Can’t wait to eat leftovers. Thanks
Sincerely,
Wishing it was dinner time already
This is one of my family’s new favorite meals. So easy and so tasty! Thank you!
Funny since Martha was on Oprah not too long ago and she said the biggest misconception about her was that you couldn't invite her to dinner because everyone thought their food wouldn't be good enough! Well she proved that on TNFNS with Kelsey. Martha even went on to say she loved grilled cheese and then cooked some for Oprah. It's all show! I'm making this sloppy joe recipe tonight and can't wait!
Sharing a braaaaaaainnnnnn. My post from the 7th http://betsylife.com/?p=1940
Thanks Kate! I am off to get the few ingredients I need to make them tonight. Can't wait to try one!