Sloppy Joe’s! You know you want it! You can’t look at a picture of a Sloppy Joe and not want to take a big bite. The memories of your childhood flashback to your Sunday family meal with the highlight of the meal being the Sloppy Joe!
In developing this recipe, I wanted to put together a somewhat healthier version than our Sloppy Joes of the past. So the question became, “Do I really want to make a sandwich using a prepackaged spice blend, or a sauce with high fructose corn syrup that comes in a can with a lot of preservatives?” I can just as easily make a simple healthier version that will make an old family favorite, new again! Try topping your Sloppy Joe with something new!
We also added some baking soda to our meat. It acts as a tenderizer and keeps it moist during the cook. It is a great tip that works for any ground or sliced meat. This technique works for anything including any ground meat, fajitas, stir fry
I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does! (Check here for some recipes for a few of my other favorite sandwiches.)
As always, thanks for Spending Time in My Kitchen!
Sloppy Joe’s, Making An Old Favorite New Again!
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
2 lbs 2 Beef chuck, ground
1 tsp 1 Baking soda
1/2 1/2 Onion, diced
1 1 Bell pepper, diced
4 Cloves 4 Garlic, minced
2 Tbl 2 Tomato paste
2 tsp 2 Dry mustard powder
2 tsp 2 Chili powder
1 cup 1 Ketchup, low to no added sugar variety
2 tsp 2 Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup 1/4 Brown sugar
14 oz 14 Tomato puree
Salt and pepper
4 4 Sesame seed buns
- Additional Garnish
Crispy onions
Jalapeno rings, pickled, canned, fresh
Diced green hatch chiles
Shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
- Drizzle grapeseed/canola oil on a large 12-inch sauté / cast iron/carbon steel pan. Place the pan on the stove over medium heat.
- Break up the ground beef into a bowl; add the baking soda and 2 tsp of salt and mix. When beef is about 80% done (Not all brown-a little pink still in parts of the meat), drain the fat leaving 2 tablespoons to saute the veggies. Set the meat aside.
- Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic to the pan and cook till lightly browned.
- Add tomato paste, mustard powder, and chili powder into the pan. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Add ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the beef, brown sugar, and tomato puree to the pan and combine.
- Stir and cook for another 20 minutes until your Sloppy Joe mix has reduced to the texture you prefer. If your mix gets too dry, add some more tomato puree.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Add any garnish to your sandwiches such as crispy onions, cheese, pickles, or chiles.
- Make sure you toast your buns, (butter your buns if you are so inclined) serve and enjoy!!
Notes
- All of us have different memories of our favorite Sloppy Joe. Here are a couple of hints trying to fine-tune the recipe to fit your memories.
- * If you need more tomato, add additional tomato puree.
- * If not sweet enough, add additional brown sugar
- * If too dry, add additional tomato puree or water
- Don’t forget to add a little baking soda to tenderize your meat and to keep it moist.
- Let me know about your favorite memory of Sloppy Joes and how your Sloppy Joes turned out!
Did you make this recipe?
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The inspiring photo caused a craving. So, we made them last night for friends, following recipe as posted. They were a savory hit. We will do this again, and again…. nostalgic.
Hi Wyatt; Happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for the kind words!
My husband used this recipe to make Sloppy Joe dinner. This Sloppy Joe recipe is the bomb💥 My kids asked for seconds! 2nd day, even better. 2 thumbs up!!
Kae; so happy you enjoyed the recipe!