Gourmet Sloppy Joes - No Can Included!

Growing up my mom wasn't much of a cook. Her version of chicken soup came from a can. Meatloaf at our house included half of a bottle of ketchup. Hamburgers were considered gourmet if we used onion buns. Needless to say, Sloppy Joe's in my childhood were a weekly staple made from a can of Manwhich and hamburger buns. When I came across Johnnie's recipe of homemade sloppy joes, I was skeptical. It seemed easy and flavorful and simple. Of course I changed alot of the recipe to adapt to my kitchen, but it was still delicious!

The original recipe:

3 lbs ground beef or ground turkey 

1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup packed dark brown suger
3 tbsp yellow mustard (I used Dijon)
3 tbsp vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (I used canned fire-roasted red peppers)
2 teaspoons chili powder (I used the full amount)

Instructions: Combine beef, onion and garlic in large pan and cook until meat browned and onion tender. In crockpot, combine remaining ingredients, stir together, add browned meat/onion/garlic to crockpot, stir until mixed. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours. Serve atop toasted hamburger buns. 

I was short on time. After combining the ingredients, I simmered over low heat for 1.5 hours. It gave the flavor time to develop and meld through the dish.

**I cut the recipe by 3 and was still able to get 6 full size Joe's with leftovers** 

My observations: This dish gave a sweet and smokey flavor to the sandwich. Toasting the bun allowed the meat mixture to set atop the bun without becoming mushy (a common problem I remember from childhood). Also, toasting the bun gave a crunch to the otherwise soft texture of the dish. To complete this meal, I served with my homemade fries and it matched the tone  perfectly. Sloppy Joe's are once again allowed in my house!