Sloppy Joes are a rich, tomatoey, drippy puddle of deliciousness all on a squishy white flour hamburger bun. You had to eat it with a knife and fork at my house but if your mom didn’t care about keeping the tablecloth clean as much as mine did you might be able to hold it and eat it. Even so you might want a napkin tied around your neck they are that drippy.
When I was a kid my mom sometimes bought the can of Manwich Sloppy Joe mix, especially if it was on sale, but usually made her own version from the canned stewed tomatoes she had preserved the summer before. This was a common dinner for my husband and I when first married because it is a quick and satisfying dinner for working people to prepare when starving. This is another very forgiving recipe that works well with leftovers and can goods you probably have in your pantry. It is a great way to use up slightly stale bread or buns. I have made it with the store bought can of sauce but also from scratch. I’ve even used a packages of taco or chili seasoning, or added hot sauce or BBQ sauce for a spicy variation.
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 onion diced
1/2 bell pepper diced
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cup of bottled tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste
6 soft white hamburger buns
Directions:
Saute the beef, onion, pepper and seasoning in a frying pan until the vegetables are softened about 10 minutes. Be sure the meat is broken into small pieces. Add the tomato sauce blend well and check the level of seasoning. Cook for another 5 minutes or so until thickened. Serve on toasted hamburger buns.
Are you a knife and fork person or do you like the drippy mess of picking it up like a sandwich?
