Sloppy Joes - Betty's style
By
Michelle Koletar/Mertz
@Mertzie
1
Ingredients
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2 lbground chuck or sirloin (can use ground beef)
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1/2red pepper, diced
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1/2green pepper, diced
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1onion, diced
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2cups, ketchup
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4 Tbspmustard, yellow (or less to your taste)
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3 Tbspvinegar (apple cider or white)
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3 Tbspsugar (white, & you can use brown if you prefer)
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1 tspliquid smoke flavoring (or just a little less than 1 tsp)
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1 tspmontreal burger or steak seasoning
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1 tspcelery seed
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·dash of garlic powder, and a dash of chili powder
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2 tspworcestershire sauce
How to Make Sloppy Joes - Betty's style
- Salt your onions & peppers & get them sauteeing in a Dutch Oven or large pan. You want them to get softened. I don't add oil or butter to the pan.
- In separate frying pan, get your ground chuck cooking up. I add salt & the worcestershire sauce @ this point. When the onions & peppers are done, remove them from the Dutch Oven & set aside. Now, take a slotted spoon & transfer the ground chuck to the Dutch Oven, leaving all that grease or juice behind in the old fry pan.
- Really get your ground chuck sizzling now. Mama Betty always told me the good flavor came from getting your meat "really brown." I add more worcestershire sauce & some ground black pepper. You really shouldn't have any grease to drain @ this point & the meat should be getting nice & brown. Add a few sprinkles of hamburger seasoning, garlic powder & the celery seed.
- Mix the ketchup, vinegar, mustard, liquid smoke & sugar in a bowl. When the beef is browned to your liking, pour this sauce overtop of it in the Dutch Oven & stir well. I then transfer everything to a crockpot & just keep it on warm. It gets really nice & moist that way, but Mama Betty always just cooked it low on the stove for about 45 minutes.
- If you forget to add an ingredient as you're going, don't spazz out. Just go back & add it whenever you remember. (They're called SLOPPY Joes, not PERFECTLY NEAT Joes.) :) Plus, you will want to taste it throughout to suit your taste buds. I always salt the veggies & the meat, but then I don't add more salt unless I really think it needs it at the end. Black pepper -- I'm generous w/ that. Load this onto hamburger buns & enjoy!