In this article
Sloppy joes fed whoever was in the yard on a summer Friday night, which was usually more children than lived in the house. Ground beef in a sweet, tangy tomato sauce, spooned onto soft hamburger buns and eaten leaning forward so it landed on the plate and not on your shirt. It landed on your shirt anyway. Most mothers used the can with the famous name, and there was no shame in it.
From scratch is barely more work. Brown the beef with a little onion and green pepper, stir in ketchup, brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire and a splash of vinegar, and simmer ten minutes until it is thick enough to sit on a bun without running off. It runs off anyway. The one improvement over the old way is toasting the buns in the skillet for a minute; it keeps the bottom half from turning to mush before the second bite.
Why this sloppy joes works
- Ketchup as the base. It carries the sugar, vinegar and tomato in one bottle, which is exactly the flavor of the sandwich you remember.
- Brown sugar and mustard together. Sweet against sharp; that balance is the whole taste of a sloppy joe.
- Simmered thick. Ten minutes with the lid off reduces the sauce so it clings to the beef.
- Toasted buns. A minute in the skillet, butter side down, keeps the bun from collapsing.
Ingredients
Makes 6 sandwiches. US cups with grams in brackets.
- 1 pound ground beef, 85/15 (450g)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cup ketchup (240g)
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon white or cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water (60ml)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 soft hamburger buns
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened, for the buns
Soft, plain buns are right here; a crusty roll fights the filling. Potato buns are the best of all.
How to make sloppy joes
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef with the onion and green pepper, breaking up the meat, until the beef is browned and the vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. Drain off excess fat.
- Stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic powder, vinegar and water.
- Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick and coats the beef. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the cut sides of the buns with butter. Toast them, butter side down, in a second skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute, until golden.
- Spoon the beef onto the bottom buns, cover with the tops, and serve at once with chips and plenty of napkins.
Tips that make the difference
- If the sauce tastes too sweet, add another teaspoon of vinegar; too sharp, another teaspoon of brown sugar.
- Chop the onion and pepper fine so they disappear into the sauce; children object to visible pieces.
- Doubles easily for a crowd and holds on low heat for an hour.
- A spoonful of pickle relish stirred in at the end is a neighbor’s trick worth stealing.
Variations
- Cheesy. Lay a slice of American cheese on the hot beef before the top bun.
- Turkey joes. Ground turkey with 1 tablespoon of oil for browning.
- Smoky. Add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and a tablespoon of barbecue sauce.
- Sloppy joe casserole. Spread the beef in a baking dish, top with biscuit dough or cornbread batter, and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
Storage and make-ahead
The beef mixture keeps in the refrigerator for 4 days and reheats in a skillet or the microwave. Toast the buns fresh.
It freezes for 3 months in a sealed container. Thaw overnight and reheat gently with a splash of water.
Frequently asked questions
What can I use instead of ketchup?
Tomato sauce works with 2 extra tablespoons of brown sugar and 1 extra tablespoon of vinegar, since ketchup brings its own sweetness and tang. Chili sauce (the American kind) is a good swap as well.
Why are my sloppy joes watery?
The sauce needs the full 10 minutes uncovered to thicken, and the beef fat must be drained first. If it is still thin, simmer 5 minutes more.
Can I make sloppy joes in the slow cooker?
Brown the beef and vegetables first, then combine everything in the slow cooker on low for 3 to 4 hours. Leave the lid off for the last 30 minutes if it looks thin.
How do I keep the buns from getting soggy?
Toast them in butter, spoon the beef on just before serving, and do not overload. A slice of cheese between beef and bun also helps.
Eight more minutes than the can, one skillet, and the children on your street will start showing up at six. That is the sign it is right.
Homemade Sloppy Joes (From Scratch, Better Than the Can)
Homemade sloppy joes from scratch in 25 minutes: ground beef with onion and green pepper in a sweet and tangy tomato sauce made from ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire, on toasted buns. It tastes like the can, only more. Cups and grams.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, 85/15
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon white or cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 soft hamburger buns
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened, for the buns
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef with the onion and green pepper, breaking up the meat, until the beef is browned and the vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. Drain off excess fat.
- Stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic powder, vinegar and water.
- Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick and coats the beef. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the cut sides of the buns with butter. Toast them, butter side down, in a second skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute, until golden.
- Spoon the beef onto the bottom buns, cover with the tops, and serve at once with chips and plenty of napkins.
