Loaded Slow-Cooker Sloppy Joe’s
This easy Sloppy Joe recipe is a family favorite and only takes 15 minutes to prep!
Take it up a notch!
Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese.
Yes!
Serves 8
You can say goodbye to that can of Manwich, because this crockpot Sloppy Joe will blow the canned “stuff” out of the water!
This easy Sloppy Joe recipe is a family favorite and only takes 15 minutes to prep!
If you’re looking for classic comfort food you can make ahead of time to serve it up for the big game this weekend, this slow cooker recipe is for you.
And… And…. if you want to take it up another level, see the notes below about making Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese.
Oh my!
Who Is This ‘Sloppy Joe’ Anyway?
Where did the name “Sloppy Joe” come from?
The Iowa Theory: In the 1930s, a cook named Joe at Ye Olde Tavern in Sioux City, Iowa, added tomato sauce and seasoning to the popular regional "loose meat sandwich," creating the modern Sloppy Joe.
Havana's Sloppy Joe's: In Havana, Cuba, bartender José García (nicknamed "Sloppy Joe") served messy ground beef sandwiches, possibly inspired by Cuban dishes like ropa vieja, at his popular bar in the 1920s.
Key West Connection: Famous author Ernest Hemingway convinced Key West bar owner Joe Russell to rename his "Silver Slipper" bar after the famous Cuban spot, Sloppy Joe's in 1937, popularizing the name and the sandwich in America.
The "sloppy" part of the name simply refers to the saucy, loose meat filling that tends to fall out of the bun during eating, making it a messy meal. Tasty too!
Ingredients
Olive oil, to coat skillet if desired
2 lbs. ground beef, grass-fed of course
1 green pepper, diced (optional)
1 small yellow onion, diced
Salt and pepper
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons mustard
1 1/2 cups of ketchup
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
8 buns or rolls
8 slices cheese
Bread and butter pickles
French fried onions, if desired
100% Grass-Fed Beef Sloppy Joe for the big game.
Go for it!
Directions
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
Add the onions and peppers and sauté for about 2 minutes, until just starting to soften.
Move the veggies over to the side and add the ground beef, spreading it out over the pan. Cook, undisturbed, for a few minutes until the beef starts to brown.
Break the beef into smaller pieces and continue to cook the beef and veggies together, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you have more than a Tablespoon of fat in the pan, drain it off.
In a slow cooker, combine the cooked beef and veggies and all the remaining ingredients (except the rolls). Stir to combine. Set the crock pot to low and cook for 2-3 hours. The crock pot can then be set to warm and kept warm for another 1-2 hours.
To serve, pile the sloppy joe mixture onto the buns. Top with the cheese, pickles, and onions…or whatever makes you feel fancy. Ha!
Add hot sauce to the sloppy joe mixture for a pleasant kick!
BONUS: Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese anyone?
Take it to a higher level. Warm up a skittle/grill, not too hot, butter some Texas Toast, add your favorite cheeses…why limit it to just one…add some Sloppy Joe mixture, stack that sandwich together, grill it to perfection and then chomp that sucker down like you’re eating your last meal.
Take it up a notch.
Turn that Sloppy Joe into a grilled cheese sandwich.
Yum.
Bon Appetit!
- Jim