Rich, sweet and tangy, these sloppy Joes are significantly better

Sloppy Joes
Rich, sweet and tangy, these sloppy Joes are significantly better
and almost as easy as any flavoring sauce from a can. Be careful
not to cook the meat beyond pink in step 2; if you let it brown at
this point it will end up dry and crumbly. The meat will finish
cooking once the liquid ingredients are added. Serve, piled high
on a bun, with your favorite pickles.
Single recipe makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Single recipe – serves 4
Double recipe -- serves 8
Ingredient
2 tablespoons
1 medium
½ teaspoon
2 cloves
3
2
1
4
½ teaspoon
1 pound
¼ teaspoon
1 teaspoon
1 cup (8 ounces)
½ cup (4.8 ounces)
¼ cup (2 ounces)
¼ teaspoon
4
1 teaspoon
2 pounds
½ teaspoon
2 teaspoons
2 cups (16 ounces)
1 cup (9.6 ounces)
½ cup (4 ounces)
½ teaspoon
8
vegetable oil
onion(s), ¼-inch dice
salt
garlic, finely diced, grated or
pressed through a garlic press
chili powder
85% lean ground beef
ground black pepper
brown sugar
tomato purée
ketchup
water
hot pepper sauce
hamburger buns
tablespoons
medium
teaspoon
cloves
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and salt; stir
until coated with oil. Reduce the heat to medium; cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the
onion is soft -- about 10 minutes (if the onion begins to burn after 5 minutes, reduce the heat to low).
2. Prepare the garlic by either finely dicing with a knife, grating on a medium microplane zester, or
passing it through a garlic press. Add the garlic and chili powder; cook, uncovered, stirring
constantly, until fragrant -- about 30 seconds. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with the
straight front edge of a pancake spatula, a potato masher or a wooden spoon, until just pink -- about
3 minutes.
3. Add the black pepper, brown sugar, tomato purée, ketchup, water, and hot sauce. Simmer until
the Sloppy Joe sauce is slightly thicker than ketchup, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the
seasonings as desired. Spoon the meat mixture onto hamburger buns and serve.
Make Ahead If there is leftover Sloppy Joe filling or a double recipe is made, the meat mixture
freezes well for up to one month. To return the meat mixture to its original consistency, a little water
may need to be added when it is reheated.
Based on a recipe from
Cook’s Country, October/November 2005