Make it a quick meal, or let it cook long and slow – you’ll be rewarded with extra tender meat and extra flavour. Just clamp the lid on and walk away!
A Sloppy Joe recipe you’ll love!
I read somewhere that Sloppy Joes are a “Poor man’s barbecue”, and I blinked, somewhat bemused. Because while it’s a terrifically economical meal option and easy to scale up to feed a crowd, it never crossed my mind as a choice for budget reasons. It’s just darn tasty – and everybody loves it. Moreish. Juicy, savoury, a touch sweet and it’s one of those things where you take a bite and it’s so good, you don’t want to talk, you just want to keep eating, until the entire Sloppy Joe sandwich is inhaled and you contemplate whether to wait the recommended 20 minutes for “stomach creep” to kick in, or just go another one right now.
Homemade Sloppy Joes
Here in Australia, we don’t have Sloppy Joe seasoning mixes or sauces. So packet mixes aren’t an option – and even if they were, I’d still make it from scratch because it’s easy. It doesn’t require any hard to find ingredients and in fact, I’m pretty sure the ingredients that go in Sloppy Joes are standard pantry items for most people. OK, so if you spied the ketchup in the photo below, I know this isn’t technically “made from scratch” BUT this recipe uses a lot less ketchup than many. Also, I prefer using plain crushed canned tomato rather than a flavoured canned tomato sauce and adding my own seasonings.
Like making Bolognese….
Once you’ve gathered the ingredients, it’s basically like making Bolognese. And the flavour is somewhat reminiscent of it too, except Sloppy Joes taste a bit more like BBQ Sauce. The one big difference is that the sauce is cooked right down so it’s really thick and not saucy at all. Juicy but not saucy, otherwise it’s too wet to pile onto sliders. Nobody wants soggy Sloppy Joes!
How to serve Sloppy Joes
As for serving:
The rolls – any soft bread rolls will work great, but no one has ever said NO to Sloppy Joes served on normal sliced bread! TOAST the bread, no matter what you use – this helps stop the Sloppy Joe filling from soaking it; Buttering is optional – I don’t because I can’t taste it once all that juicy filling is piled on; Cheese is optional for most people, but around these parts – it’s essential. Slices or grated. My favourite is Swiss or Gruyere, then Cheddar; Other fixings – pickles (dill pickle, onion, anything of choice!), jalapeño or chillies (fresh or canned), hot sauce (if you like a kick!). For crunch, try corn chips/fritos or Slaw (see note below).
On the side – in the States, the Sloppy Joes I had came with crisps on the side. I wouldn’t do that for a meal, but for gatherings, I love the idea of laying out a big pot of Sloppy Joe filling, a basket of warm buns and bowls of crisps! For a meal option, try serving it with this Everyday Cabbage Salad (which is my non-mayo Slaw). That would work well as it can be the side salad or be used in the Sloppy Joe Sandwiches. A classic mayo-based Coleslaw is also an option, but I think the Sloppy Joe Sauce works better with the fresher no-mayonnaise Slaw. And don’t forget – this is ideal freezer food! Make a BIG BATCH and freeze in serving size portions!! – Nagi x
The best of ground beef / mince recipes
Bolognese and Lasagna Italian Meatballs Meatloaf (reader fave!) Cottage Pie Salisbury Steak (big reader fave!) See all Ground Beef / Mince recipes
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Sometimes it helps to have a visual, so watch me make this Sloppy Joe recipe!
LIFE OF DOZER
After having just gotten back from 2 weeks in Vietnam, he was very concerned as he watched me pack for a weekend away with friends. Relief set in when he saw I also packed a bag for him. (And he checked thoroughly to ensure his favourite toys and treats were included)
