The Tiny Kitchen Assistant loved them.
Sometimes you just want comfort food from childhood, and there’s nothing quite as comforting as sloppy joes. I’ve updated the recipe a bit so that it’s better than your store-bought kit. If your family prefers a blander version, reduce the amount of steak seasoning by half.
Leftovers can be frozen in single-serving sizes for a quick lunch. Just defrost in the microwave and eat!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/4 lbs ground beef sirloin or ground buffalo
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp meat seasoning blend (I use Coffee BBQ Dry Rub from Muddy Dog Coffee*)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 4 crusty rolls, split and toasted
Instructions
Leaner than beef, it works well in sloppy joes and can be found in 3-pound packs at Costco.
Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef or buffalo and begin to break it into smaller chunks. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning and add to the meat.
When the meat is nearly browned, add onions, red peppers, vinegar and Worcestershire to the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Cook together for 5 minutes.
Add tomato sauce and paste to the pan; stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Serve on buns and have lots of napkins on hand!
Results
The Tiny Kitchen Assistant prefers to eat his meat with a spoon, separate from his bread; keeping the sandwich together is still a bit of a challenge, and he’s not a huge fan of mess. Adults appear to have no such worries.
* Yes, I order my BBQ rub… and coffee… and tea… and cornmeal from North Carolina. Don’t you?
Cooking
Fitness
Health
What Would Betty Do? She’d give a shout-out to a friend. Thanks for the mentions, glad you enjoyed. Great recipe!