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CLASSIC SLOPPY JOE Childhood Memories On A Bun: Meaty. Messy. Husband-Approved

It's comfort food time at In The Kitchen, my friends! There are all sorts of comfort food classics out there, but when it comes to comfort food in sandwich form, it's hard to beat this particular recipe.
Is there a childhood dinner or cafeteria special more beloved than a Sloppy Joe? Originally, a rich hamburger meat simmered in a tangy, sweet sauce with tender onions and peppers, served on a lightly toasted bun. This retro classic is nearly impossible to be find on restaurant menus! They are truly the best version of a childhood favorite!
I ate Sloppy Joes quite a bit growing up. Mama made ours from a can, Manwich being the popular brand. It always got rave reviews around our family table growing up. Moms and the cafeteria ladies - they had it going on. Something so innately satisfying about the sweet and savory combination and messiness of it all!  We loved it, didn’t we?
So, now a few decades later, I’ve reconnected with this Classic dish and teaching and eating this recipe over and over again (hi, José) has sparked many memories. The best part was the absolute pleasure of teaching Stan how to make Homemade Sloppy Joes - absolutely awesomeness! 
This recipe was selected as February’s In The Kitchen Email Baking and Cooking Challenge. Our winner, Miss Bella T., Congratulations!
Now, may I have the pleasure of sharing this beloved childhood favorite with you? Let’s begin Sloppy Joe 101:
There are several key ingredients used in my sloppy joes including: green chilies, smoked paprika or chili powder, ground mustard, honey or brown sugar, and worcestershire sauce. The end result, a touch smokey, the right balance of savory and sweet, satisfying and just so delicious. I do hope you recreate this delicious dish for your family.
Ingredient Notes: 
Oil: used to sauté onions, peppers and garlic. For Oil free - use balsamic vinegar, or water.  
Onions and Peppers: These round out the flavor of the sloppy Joes. You can use red, yellow, white or 2 shallots instead. I used a red bell pepper, but you could certainly use green or yellow bell pepper instead. 
For time savers: Always remember you can purchase pre-cut onions and peppers in your local market.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is great, but to save time, you can use minced garlic packed in water or garlic powder. 
Tomato products: tomato paste and can crushed tomatoes. Some recipes use tomato sauce or ketchup and tomato paste. I like to use a combination of both tomato paste and crushed tomatoes for a huge depth of flavor (double-concentrated if I can find it). I recommend using tomato paste and any of the other tomato products.
Dried Spices: Including smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, I also used Dijon mustard but you can use spicy brown mustard or your favorite. 
Worcestershire sauce: It’s common condiment that’s intensely savory and complex undertones. It adds umami (savory flavor). A classic sloppy joe ingredient! See Notes for substitutions.
Protein. Ground turkey, chicken, pork or beef are all fine depending on your preference. 85/15 ground beef (85% meat, 15% fat) and 90/10 ground turkey). But it's okay to use a leaner or fattier ratio, depending on what you have on hand. The grease gets drained either way.
If you’re a meat eater- consider using a mix of ground beef and Mexican chorizo for a spicier version. So good!
For vegetarian options, use any ground plant based meat or even lentils. 
Source: Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils (lightly seasoned). Note- on the package it states ‘Contains traces of wheat’ traderjoes.steamed-lentils
Liquid Smoke- used just a few dashes for a bit of smokiness. 
Vegetable broth is my preference for sloppy joes, but you can use chicken or beef broth or even water instead. 
Spiciness- you can add red pepper flakes or schrirachi to taste, optional
The Peppers and Heat Factor - If you want REAL spiciness, I typically prefer a spicy pepper mix from jalapenos up through serranos maybe toss in a habanero here and there, but you can easily dial down the heat with your preferred heat levels.
Toasted Buns: Always❣️
Let’s get Sloppy❣️Joe, that is. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Meals under an hour
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon oil or balsamic vinegar or a bit of broth
  • 1/2 half sweet red onion 
  • 3 cloves cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste 
  • 4 ounce can diced green chiles or jalapeños, optional
  • 1 pound ground meat: turkey, chicken, sausage, or a combination. MF option: Plant-based meat or lentils, tofu or variety of wild mushrooms
  • 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 - 2 teaspoons paprika, smoked or sweet
  • 1 tablespoon ground pepper, to taste 
  • 1 - 2 teaspoons salt, to taste
  • 1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, small chopped or can of drained Rotel tomatoes for an extra kick!
  • 8 ounce can tomato sauce, optional 
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon, stoneground or yellow mustard
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup, optional if desire a bit sweeter
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce or substitutions - soy sauce, vinegar, a mix of the two or a vegan option.
  • 1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes or hot sauce to taste
  • 4 hamburger buns, Hawaiian rolls or buns of choice. Toasted. No-carb option: enjoy in a lettuce wrap 

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add onions and cook for 4-5 minutes, until soft. 
  • Add bell peppers and cook for 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 3 minutes until fragrant.
  • Add tomato paste and green chilies and stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes. 
  • Add ground meat and brown or add vegetarian option, breaking apart into crumbles, continue to break into small bits as it cooks, about 5-7 minutes.  If using meat that yields fat, transfer to a colander lined with paper towels and drain.
  • Add ground meat back to the skillet (if removed to drain) and stir well. Add chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper and stir well.
  • Deglaze the pan by adding crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce. You can also deglaze using red wine or balsamic vinegar about ¼ cup). Allow tomatoes to simmer until heated through about 5 minutes.
  • Add remaining ingredients: mustard, ketchup, honey or brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper.  Stir well to combine.
  • Cook over low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until mixture has thickened to your liking. 
    If you have the time, the flavors will meld, develop further and color will deepen if you allow your mixture to simmer for 1-2 hours on low. Just keep the heat low and stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
  • Watch the sauce so that it doesn’t reduce too much.  When too much of the sauce reduces, it gives you a dry sloppy joe mixture.  Everyone has a preference, but for me, I cook it down so that I can see the bits of meat, and when I drag my spoon through the sauce, it leaves a trail where the sauce is parted.  If the sauce immediately flows back into that trail, it’s too liquid-y.
    Remove from heat and serve over toasted buns.
  • Serve with a side salad, some baked beans, and -- of course -- thickly-sliced pickles and onions on top of your Sloppy Joes, and...dinner is served!
    Perfect for lunch the following day.
  • The sauce in Sloppy Joe recipes are normally intended to be slightly sweet, but it's really a matter of taste. If you prefer a more savory sauce, use less honey or brown sugar. 
    If you'd like to make this meal even healthier by packing in some extra veggies unbeknownst to your kids, add small diced carrots or mushrooms.

Notes

 

Worcestershire Sauce Substitute
Don’t have Worcestershire sauce on hand, or want a vegan substitute? Here’s a genius hack that uses ingredients you likely have on hand in your pantry! It tastes very similar to the real thing…and it takes 1 minute to put together. It also works as a vegan Worcestershire sauce recipe!
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or preferred 1 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos.
1 dash hot sauce, optional
This mix of ingredients brings in just the right elements: tangy, salty, savory, and a little sweet.
Storing:
Make a double or triple batch and freeze the leftovers. It does not take any more work to make extra. Stan and I love to cook once and eat twice. This is such a huge help during busy weeks.
Freezing:  Sloppy Joe sauce can be frozen!
Cool the mixture completely, then add to freezer containers or a freezer bag. We also like to freeze the mixture in silicone cupcake pans. Then pop them out and place in a freezer bag. Now you can have lunch or dinner for one or two in no time!  Freeze for up to 4 months. 
When ready to enjoy — 
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a crockpot or in a pan for an even faster dinner idea!  Come home to dinner ready to enjoy! 
Variations
If you limit sugar:  purchase Heinz Simply Tomato Ketchup or Hunt’s All Natural Ketchup sweetened with honey (vs high fructose corn syrup).
Sloppy Joe Bar
thinly sliced red onions. dill pickle chips. banana peppers (pepperocinis). crispy bacon slices or plant based option. French-fried onions (what is placed on green bean casserole).
Sliced Cheese: cheddar, pepper jack, muenster, American-your preference. sour cream. diced jalapeños or canned green chiles. potato chips, veggie chips, sweet potatoes fries or roasted potatoes 
Don't forget to toast your buns before assembling!


OTHER IDEAS FOR SERVING  SLOPPY JOES
We know that Sloppy Joe filling is scrumptious piled high on TOASTED hamburger buns! But there are lots of other fabulous ways to enjoy it, whether it’s a new twist on a fresh batch or you're simply using up leftovers:
It's great served over a baked potato Sprinkle over "Nachos." 
Spoon over hot dogs, "Sloppy Dog" in place of chili. 
Spoon over crispy fries or waffle fries. 
Layer into grilled cheese sandwich.               Top on a burger in place of chili.                                     Stuff it into bell peppers and then bake.
Taco it - place in a heated shell and top sloppy joes with whatever you like to have on your tacos…sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.
Roll up in crescent roll dough and bake at 375 F degrees for about 12-15 minutes.  
Keyword Sandwich, Sloppy Joes