Busy families often find it hard to serve fresh and quickly prepared meals. But before pulling up to the nearest drive-through window, family chefs should know that many homecooked meals can be whipped up in a pinch.
During barbecue season, burgers are often a go-to meal for their convenience and portability. But another bun- and beef-based option is readily available 鈥� and it could stir up nostalgia for comforting family meals of years past.
It鈥檚 hard to beat the savory flavor and deliciously messy trappings of Sloppy Joes. As the name implies, this isn鈥檛 a meal for someone who likes to keep things neat. In fact, part of the fun of Sloppy Joes, for adults and children alike, is the chance to get a little messy at the dinner table. Here鈥檚 a recipe for 鈥淐lassic Sloppy Joes,鈥� courtesy of the National Cattlemen鈥檚 Beef Association.
Classic Sloppy Joes
(Serves 4)
1 聽聽 聽pound ground beef (93% lean or leaner)
1 聽聽 聽cup minced sweet onion
1 聽聽 聽cup minced green bell pepper
1 聽聽 聽can (141鈦�2 ounces) unsalted tomato sauce
1鈦�4 聽聽 聽cup barbecue sauce
1鈦�4 聽聽 聽cup ketchup
1 聽聽 聽tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 聽聽 聽teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 聽聽 聽teaspoon dry mustard
4 聽聽 聽whole wheat hamburger buns or 8 slider buns
Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, cook 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Add ground beef and bell pepper; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking beef into 1鈦�2-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally.
Stir in tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and mustard; increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil; cook 5 to 10 minutes, or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, as desired.
Divide beef mixture evenly among buns. Top with pickles, coleslaw and cheese, if desired. Close the sandwiches.
Cook鈥檚 Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.聽
