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
Fantastic recipe! I made tonight for dinner and hubby and daughter loved! The only thing I did different was added kidney beans to recipe, it was very yummy!
Yum! I used posh French wholegrain mustard and a red bell pepper. My onion was rotten when I cut it open, so I omitted it, and it still tasted fantastic! The deal-breaker ingredients are the ketchup and brown sugar….yummmmmm!!!!
Wow, so people actually do eat canned sloppy joe mix. gross!!!
Sounds yummy, going to try tonight!
I make them all the time and my family loves them. I just started cooking them tonight and realized I am out of mustard. I do have dry ground mustard. Would that work and how much should I use? Thanks
Sure, that would work! Probably around 1/2-1 teaspoon, not super exact. 🙂
These were great! Next time I will try making them in the crockpot!
These sounds so good and can be gluten free – yippeee! The hubby will be thrilled! Will try them this weekend in the crock pot!
I love your blog – I’ve become addicted.
Great recipe! If you like a bit more punch, spoon the meat onto the bottom bun, add a couple of dill pickle chips, a quarter-inch thick slice of Velveeta, and pop under a broiler until the cheese starts to melt… Ices the cake!
okay, these were gooooood.
yum, yum, yum, yum, yum! We ate these tonight with your oven-baked fries, and it was delicious all around! Best Sloppy Joe Recipe tried yet!