October 2007 - The BEST Sloppy Joes

The BEST Sloppy Joes

To me, Sloppy Joes are one of the great American comfort foods. However, I have never liked the canned or packaged mixes from the grocery store…probably because none of them taste like the ones my mom used to make.
This recipe is based on the Lipton Onion Soup mix recipe for Sloppy Joes. I like using the dry soup mix because it reduces the number of spices & ingredients you need to have on hand and it always turn out great.
This recipe can also be easily adapted to suit anybody’s individual taste. For example: If you like it spicy, add a bit more red pepper flakes and some Crystal Hot Sauce. If you want it to be a little healthier, substitute ground turkey in place of the beef. If you like more vegetables, throw in some diced bell peppers and tomatoes. Whichever style you prefer, just start with this basic recipe and then put your own personal spin on it.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 pounds ground beef
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 cup water
1½ cups ketchup
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
8 hamburger buns or deli rolls

Optional:
1 tablespoon Crystal Hot Sauce
1 bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
1 can diced tomatoes or 2 diced fresh tomatoes

Cooking instructions:
Step 1: Heat oil in large stock pot over medium high heat. Add onions and bell peppers, if desired. Cook until softened and slightly caramelized, approximately 15 minutes. Add red pepper flakes for the last few minutes of cooking.

Step 2: Add ground beef and continue to cook over medium high heat until thoroughly browned, approximately 10 minutes.

Step 3: Reduce to medium heat and add onion soup mix, water, ketchup, brown sugar and hot sauce, if desired. Simmer for approximately 30-45 minutes or until sauce has reduced to desired thickness, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve on hamburger buns or rolls.