Certain meals conjure up memories of childhood and Sloppy Joes are right up there when I think of nostalgic comfort food. Growing up, we didn’t have them very often, but I always loved it when they were on the menu.
Fast forward to present day. Every morning, both my husband and my youngest daughter ask what we’ve having for dinner that night. Sometimes I get the question before I’ve even taken my first sip of coffee. Sloppy Joe Night is always met with enthusiasm. It’s fast, easy, inexpensive and not fancy.
Manwich or Scratch?
I make them from scratch because it’s almost just as easy and you can tweak the ingredients to your preference. My mother-in-law shared her recipe and we love it. See below for the full recipe.
Step One
Brown your ground beef (I always buy the leanest I can find) and saute your onions together in the same pan.
Step Two
Toss everything else in the pan. This includes salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, chunks of green pepper (for flavor, removed before serving), ketchup, water and brown sugar.
Step Three
Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Adjust seasonings if needed. Serve. Bon Appetit!
Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 3-4 large pieces green pepper
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 -3/4 cup brown sugar depending on sweetness preference
Instructions
- Brown ground beef and onion in pan.
- Add all other ingredients (salt and pepper to taste).
- Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Remove green pepper pieces prior to serving.
