Adult Sloppy Joes for the kid in all of us

I loved Sloppy Joes as a kid, but I never dreamed I’d eat them again. Not in this lifetime, anyway. Between celiac disease (for me) and other food allergies (for my wife), this was a dish we’d both written off as something from our childhood. One of those dishes that was probably a better memory than it was on the plate. Besides, Sloppy Joes are for kids. Right? Wrong. Oh. So. Wrong. 

The sauce in these Adult Sloppy Joes is tangy and sweet all at the same time. It’s reminiscent of the Sloppy Joes we had when I was a kid, but feels all grown up with the blend of subtle flavors. It’s kind of like slipping into your favorite snuggly clothes on a chilly day and suddenly feeling warm and happy. These are definitely that good!

The original recipe for these Adult Sloppy Joes came from FoodNetwork.com, but I’ve made a few minor changes to deal with food allergies and dietary preferences. There’s a lot of leeway on the meat—go with plain ground beef, ground turkey, or mix things up by using a bit of ground pork with your favorite. As far as the sauce goes, it’s important to get the proportions right. The first time I made these, they were fabulous. On the second  try, I’d run low on ketchup and was a little short. The entire flavor of the sauce changed, and it took a lot of doctoring to make it better. By sticking with the measurements in the recipe, your sauce should come out perfectly every time. 

Enjoy! And savor not only the flavors, but the memories of adult comfort food for the kid in all of us! Check out the rest of my recipes here.

The Best (Adult) Sloppy Joes

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion (diced)
• 1 green bell pepper (diced)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey (You could also use a combination the includes ground pork plus the turkey or beef.)
• 1 1/3 cup tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (We use rice vinegar)
• 1 tsp paprika

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to caramelize in some spots, 6 to 7 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and saute, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat until it is browned, no
4. longer pink in the middle and cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes.
5. Stir in the rest of the ingredients along with salt and black pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and heated through, 5 to 6 minutes.
6. While sauce is thickening, grill or toast the buns.
7. Spoon sauce over buns and add any desired toppings such as shredded cheddar
8. cheese, green onions, etc.