Sloppy Joes
NOTES:
1. Jeanne was inspired by these two recipes: one from from AllRecipes.com and one from Cooks Illustrated/Cooks Country (subscription required).
2. It's best when served hot with potato rolls, which won't crumble in your hands or smush to nothing.
3. Be sure to cool the pan fully to room temperature. Adding the meat to a cool pan as you cook it allows the meat to have a fine crumble that a good sloppy joe requires.
4. Cooking the sloppy joe mix down allows it to be not super messy when it's on the bun.
5. In the summer, consider using sweet peppers instead of a red pepper (two or so should be enough). If you do this, for sure take the sugar down by 1/2 Tbl or 1-1/2 tsp.
6. If you don't have tomato paste, you can put 1 can (14 oz) of diced tomatoes into a blender, then cook down in a saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly, to about a cup in volume.
7. Tip from CI's YouTube channel: add 1/4-1/2 tsp baking soda plus 1 tbsp water, then toss into the hamburger before cooking
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb lean hamburger meat
1 medium sweet onion like Vidalia or Candy, minced
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbl vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 - 3/4 of a small red pepper, diced small
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbl packed brown sugar
1 C tomato puree
(optional) several Tbls of tomato paste
1/2 C ketchup
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp hot sauce
1 dash Worcester sauce
1/4 C water
additional salt to taste
PREPARATION:
1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan (not non-stick or cast iron) on medium high heat until shimmering. Add onion and salt, stir to coat the onion in oil, turn the heat down to medium, and cover, checking to make sure the onion isn't browning. If so, turn the heat down to low. Cook for about ten minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
2. Add the garlic and chili powder, stir, and turn off the heat after about 30 seconds or the spices are fragrant.
3. Remove the onion, garlic, and chili from the pan. Take the pan off the burner and let it cool for 30 minutes.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb lean hamburger meat
1 medium sweet onion like Vidalia or Candy, minced
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbl vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 - 3/4 of a small red pepper, diced small
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbl packed brown sugar
1 C tomato puree
(optional) several Tbls of tomato paste
1/2 C ketchup
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp hot sauce
1 dash Worcester sauce
1/4 C water
additional salt to taste
PREPARATION:
1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan (not non-stick or cast iron) on medium high heat until shimmering. Add onion and salt, stir to coat the onion in oil, turn the heat down to medium, and cover, checking to make sure the onion isn't browning. If so, turn the heat down to low. Cook for about ten minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
2. Add the garlic and chili powder, stir, and turn off the heat after about 30 seconds or the spices are fragrant.
3. Remove the onion, garlic, and chili from the pan. Take the pan off the burner and let it cool for 30 minutes.
4. Prepare the baking soda slurry and toss with the burger. See note 8.
5. After 30 minutes, return the pan to the burner, turn it to medium, and add the meat. Break the burger down to small pieces as it cooks. When the meat is still a little pink still, add the onion mixture back to the pan and continue to break down the meat as it finishes cooking.
6. Add the diced red pepper and cook for two to three more minutes.
7. Add the black pepper, brown sugar, tomato puree, ketchup, dijon mustard, hot sauce, Worcester sauce, and water. Stir.
8. Cook and stir occasionally until a lot of the moisture is cooked off, so that when you use a spoon to pick up the meat, it stacks on the spoon and much doesn't fall over the sides. Stirring occasionally prevents the meat from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
9. As the meat begins to thicken, you can add a few Tbls of tomato paste.
10. Add salt to taste. Serve on potato burger buns, topping with shredded cheddar cheese.
5. After 30 minutes, return the pan to the burner, turn it to medium, and add the meat. Break the burger down to small pieces as it cooks. When the meat is still a little pink still, add the onion mixture back to the pan and continue to break down the meat as it finishes cooking.
6. Add the diced red pepper and cook for two to three more minutes.
7. Add the black pepper, brown sugar, tomato puree, ketchup, dijon mustard, hot sauce, Worcester sauce, and water. Stir.
8. Cook and stir occasionally until a lot of the moisture is cooked off, so that when you use a spoon to pick up the meat, it stacks on the spoon and much doesn't fall over the sides. Stirring occasionally prevents the meat from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
9. As the meat begins to thicken, you can add a few Tbls of tomato paste.
10. Add salt to taste. Serve on potato burger buns, topping with shredded cheddar cheese.
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