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Sloppy joes
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Sloppy joes

Sloppy joes: saucy sweet-tangy beef mince piled into soft buns, an American school-lunch and weeknight favourite

Sloppy joes are a mid-century American family supper, beloved at school cafeterias, scout camps and quick Friday dinners from Iowa to Ohio. Beef mince is browned with onion and green pepper, then simmered in a sweet, tangy tomato sauce until it is thick enough to heap into a soft burger bun without soaking straight through. The usual mistake is leaving it too wet: the bun collapses at the first bite. Simmer until a spoon dragged across the pan leaves a clear trail for a second or two. Brown the mince until no pink remains; it should reach 71 °C. Serve with coleslaw, pickles or crisps, and have napkins ready. Chef's tip: toast the cut sides of the buns in a dry pan first; the crisp surface holds back the sauce long enough to finish the sandwich.

Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Difficulty
Easy
Serves
4
Per serving
480 kcal
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Ingredients

Serves4

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Method

0/6 done
  1. Step 1: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 ⅛ lb beef mince and brown it, breaking it into small crumbs, for 6 minutes until no pink remains. Spoon off excess fat.

    6 min
  2. Step 2: Add 1 onion and 1 green pepper and cook for 4 minutes until soft, then stir in 2 cloves garlic for 30 seconds.

    5 min
  3. Step 3: Stir in ¾ cup tomato passata, 3 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp cider vinegar, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.

  4. Step 4: Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring now and then, for 8–10 minutes, until thick and glossy and a spoon leaves a trail across the pan.

    10 min
  5. Step 5: Meanwhile toast the cut sides of 4 soft burger buns in a dry pan until golden.

    2 min
  6. Step 6: Pile the mixture onto the bottom buns, add 8 dill pickle slices if you like, and close with the tops. Serve at once.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
480 kcal
Protein
30 g
Carbs
44 g
Fat
20 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does sloppy joes take?
About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
What can I use instead of onion?
2 shallots per onion.
What can I use instead of garlic?
½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.

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