Go Back

Sloppy Joes

Servings: 4
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Messy, sweet, tangy, and my kids eat it without complaint. That alone makes it a winner. If you've been buying the canned sloppy joe sauce, I'm not here to judge — I used it for years. But once you ma
Mike

Ingredients  

  • 1.5 pounds ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 small onion (diced)
  • 1/2 green bell pepper (diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • salt and pepper
  • 6 hamburger buns

Method
 

Step 1: Brown the beef
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until browned — about 5 minutes. If there's a lot of grease, drain most of it off but leave a tablespoon for flavor.
Step 2: Cook the vegetables
  1. Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 3: Build the sauce
  1. Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and chili powder. Stir everything together and bring to a simmer. Cook on medium-low for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the meat. Taste and adjust the seasoning — you might want more sugar for sweetness, more vinegar for tang, or a dash of hot sauce for heat.
Step 4: Serve
  1. Toast the buns under the broiler for a minute — this adds crunch and prevents the bun from getting soggy immediately. Spoon the meat mixture generously onto the buns. Serve with napkins. Many napkins.