Description
Alton Brown’s sloppy joes elevate the classic sandwich with bold, tangy flavors and homemade complexity. Rich ground beef mingles with robust seasonings, promising a memorable meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 12 oz (340 g) (1 ⅓ cup) tomato sauce
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsps brown sugar
- 2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 hamburger buns, toasted
Instructions
- Preparation: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, creating an even, shimmering surface for sautéing vegetables.
- Vegetable Sauté: Combine onions and green bell peppers, stirring occasionally until they become translucent with soft golden edges, releasing their natural sweetness.
- Aromatic Infusion: Introduce minced garlic, quickly stirring to prevent burning and allow its fragrant essence to permeate the skillet.
- Meat Browning: Add ground beef, breaking it into uniform crumbles and cooking thoroughly until no pink remains, ensuring complete and even caramelization.
- Sauce Creation: Blend tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar into the meat, crafting a complex flavor profile that balances sweet, tangy, and savory notes.
- Seasoning Depth: Sprinkle paprika and cayenne pepper to introduce warmth and complexity, while seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to enhance the overall taste.
- Sauce Reduction: Reduce heat and simmer the mixture, allowing the sauce to thicken and develop a rich, glossy consistency that clings perfectly to the meat.
- Serving: Ladle the robust meat mixture generously over toasted hamburger buns, creating a classic sloppy joe that promises a satisfying and flavorful dining experience.
Notes
- Meat Crumbling Technique: Break ground beef into small, uniform pieces using a wooden spatula to ensure even cooking and prevent large clumps.
- Vegetable Sautéing Tip: Cook onions and bell peppers until they become translucent with golden edges, releasing their natural sweetness and enhancing overall flavor profile.
- Sauce Consistency Hack: Simmer the mixture until it reaches a glossy, thick texture, allowing flavors to meld and intensify while creating the perfect sloppy joe coating.
- Spice Balance Trick: Carefully layer paprika and cayenne pepper to add depth and subtle heat without overpowering the rich, tangy sauce base.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg