Sometimes I truly miss having young children around. I get over it quickly, believe me, but when the urge to eat “kid food” pops up in my brain, I think about my own children growing up and Sloppy Joes! Not that I ever fed Sloppy Joes to my children; only because I was totally unaware of this culinary delight. Even though what appears to be a “Sloppy Joe” recipe (Barbecued Hamburger Mix) is right there on page 292 of my 1961 edition of Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cook Book, I never gave the recipe more than a cursory glance. And seriously, I must have looked at the recipe hundreds of times since I perused my cookbook on an almost daily basis. I’m still trying to fathom how I could possibly have missed the delicious combination of flavors described right there in front of me? Boggles the mind, I’ll tell you that! (BTW – this is not Betty’s recipe.)
And unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, none of my close friends were turned on to Sloppy Joes either. Or if they were, they sure as heck never served this culinary wonder to my family or I would have snatched up the recipe faster than it takes to say “do you kids want chili, spaghetti, or Sloppy Joes for dinner”?
So next time you are at a loss as to what to fix for dinner, give this recipe a try. It is economical, fairly nutritious, easy to prepare and truthfully, really delicious – basically a perfect dinner solution after a long day of work.
After all, what parent doesn’t want to serve a dish that takes hardly any kitchen time and is loved by the entire family? For that matter, what retiree on a fixed income doesn’t want the same dish for the very same reasons? Although in our case, we the retired that is, don’t tend to be exhausted from too much work. If we are tired, it’s usually from too much play! (Did I mention that being retired is one of the best things about growing older? That and not really giving a flying fig what others think about who and what you are.)
And for that very reason, the one about not giving a flying fig, I totally enjoyed eating Sloppy Joes in our TV room last night with Mr. C. We watched the first episode in the Granada television series of Sherlock Holmes starring Jeremy Brett. I’m telling you, there is hardly a better combination to celebrate self indulgence than a toasted ciabatta roll loaded with BBQ flavored meat and watching the scintillating plot unfold in an Arthur Conan Doyle mystery. If you doubt my word, try this magnificent combination for yourself. It’s simply elementary my dear reader!
- 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large red pepper, diced
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. dried marjoram
- ½ tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 15-oz. tomato sauce
- ¼ c. ketchup
- 2 T. packed brown sugar
- 3 T. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 T. red wine vinegar
- 1 T. yellow mustard (don’t even think about using a fancy mustard)
- 1 tsp. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon Beef Base)
- 3 ciabatta, Kaiser, or hamburger rolls, sliced and toasted
In a large covered sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat; add ground beef and sauté until browned. Add onion, pepper, and garlic and continue cooking until onion translucent. Add marjoram, chili powder, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, mustard, and beef base. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and let simmer until sauce is thick, about 30 minutes. When ready to serve, ladle on top of your buns of choice. Serve immediately. Great accompanied by your favorite coleslaw, thick potato chips (if you have kids) and of course, a nice cold beer (not for the kids).