I don’t think I have ever made Sloppy Joes that didn’t come from a can. My mother used to always make this when we were children and I loved it. I don’t know why it took me so long to make it for my children. It was actually very easy and they loved the taste so much more.
I started with Chef John’s Sloppy Joes Recipe on Allrecipes.com and made a few minor adjustments for my family’s tastes.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
- 1/2 diced onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 diced green bell pepper
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp. Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
Directions
- Combine the ground beef and onion in a cold skillet, place the skillet onto a stove burner, and turn the heat to medium; cook and stir until the beef is crumbly and browned. Stir the garlic and bell pepper into the beef mixture; continue cooking and stirring until the vegetables are tender, 2 to 3 more minutes. Add 1 cup of water. Mix in ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Pour in 1 more cup of water. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook until the mixture becomes very thick, 30 to 45 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Season with Hot Sauce.
