When I was little shopping with mom at Winn-Dixie we were on the canned meat aisle. I asked mom to please not buy that throw up looking stuff (canned sloppy joe). She told me to be grateful I had a meal to eat or something along those lines. I learned a lesson that day that has stuck with me my entire life. Because I ended up loving the sloppy joes. Don't always judge food by just the way it looks. I love canned sloppy joe, corned beef hash, hell even the very occasional vienna sausages. It takes a lot more work but trust me, these are truly the best version of my childhood favorite!
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup beef broth (or water)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar (or less, if you prefer)
1 tsp yellow mustard
3/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
Dash of hot sauce
Hamburger buns
1. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown, breaking it apart into crumbles as it cooks. Drain the fat and set aside.
2. Add the onion and bell pepper to the same skillet and cook until soft, about 4minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. About 30 seconds.
3. Add beef back to the skillet. Add tomato paste and mix well.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients: ketchup, broth OR water, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, and black pepper. Mix it up well.
5. Cover the pan and cook for 12 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened to your liking. If it is too thick, add another splash of broth or water.
6. Remove from the heat and serve over toasted buns.
