Bringing back the Sloppy Joe!!

If I’m being honest, at some point in my life I gave up on the Sloppy Joe. Maybe it lost the appeal when I learned that it was made from a can, maybe it was the reputation others had about it, but I hadn’t had a Sloppy Joe for many years, until I found this recipe. This Sloppy Joe is made from scratch using fresh ingredients. The best part is that while it still contains tomato sauce, the main flavor comes from barbeque sauce. Oh how sweet it is! For those of you that also thought you hated Sloppy Joes, give this recipe a try, I think you will find it much more pleasing than the original!

Spencer's Sloppy Joes

Printer Friendly Version

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup barbecue sauce (I used KC Masterpiece)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco

Hamburger buns, split

Barbecue sauce, for topping, if needed

Heat oil in a large skillet with straight sides. Add the bell peppers and garlic. Sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the ground beef to the vegetables. Stir and cook about 8 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink and fully cooked. Drain, if desired.

Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire, and hot sauce into the skillet. Stir. Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve on hamburger bun and add extra sauce, if needed.

Source adapted from: www.foodnetwork.com; Down Home with the Neely’s