Bolognese Sloppy Joe's (two for one recipe)

By Andy Anderson !
@ThePretentiousWichitaChef

I was working in the test kitchen today... clarifying some chicken stock (the work never ends), and I thought of making some Bolognese for tonight's supper... Then I thought that it might be brilliant on a bun; served like a sloppy Joe with some nice mozzarella on top, and there you go.

This recipe is a two-fer... You can stop with the Bolognese and put it on pasta for an excellent Italian dish, or you can go one step further, and have a Bolognese Sloppy Joe.

So, you ready... let's get into the kitchen.

Rating:

★★★★★ 1 vote

Comments:

39 Comments

Serves:

Prep:

15 Min

Cook:

45 Min

Method:

Stove Top

Ingredients

1/8 c: olive oil, extra virgin
1/8 c: grapeseed oil
1 medium: onion (about 8 oz), grated
2 to 3 stalk(s): celery (about 4 oz), grated
2 medium: carrots (about 6 oz), grated
4 clove: garlic, minced
1/2 lb: ground sirloin, lean
1/2 lb: ground pork, or italian sausage
2 tsp: basil, dried
1 tsp: oregano, dried
16 oz: tomato sauce
10 oz: tomato puree
1 tsp: kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp: black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
1/4 c: parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 c: red wine
2 Tbsp: sweet butter, unsalted
4: rolls, buns, hoagies, bread... whatever
2 c: mozzarella cheese, freshly grated

How to Make Bolognese Sloppy Joe's (two for one recipe)

Step-by-Step

1MAKING THE SAUCE
2Gather all your ingredients
3Chef's Tip: If you're not a big fan of grating, you can use your food-processor with the grating attachment to do the job for you.
4Place the two oils in a large skillet over medium heat.
5When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
6Add the garlic, basil, and oregano, and continue to cook for about 2 minutes.
7Add the beef and sausage, and cook until the meat loses its pink color, about 5 minutes.
8Add the tomato sauce and puree, salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat for an additional 5 minutes.
9Chef's Tip: Italian sausage can be a bit on the greasy side. If you want to reduce that grease, simply put a doubled-over paper towel on top of the sauce (as it is simmering), and the paper towel will pick up a good portion of that grease. You might need to do it more than once, depending on the amount of grease you want to remove.
10Finally, add the butter, the wine, and the cheese.
11Stir until the ingredients are incorporated into the sauce.
12Lower the heat until the sauce is barely simmering, and then cover for 30 minutes.
13Chef’s Note: During this time, taste, and add more salt, and/or pepper, if needed. Remember, season while cooking, not at the end.
14Chef’s Note: At this point, you can stop, and you have an excellent Bolognese sauce, that will go great over pasta.
15MAKING THE SLOPPY JOE’S
16Slice open the buns, hoagies, or whatever you are using for your Sloppy Joe’s.
17Pick out some of the bread in the bottom half, to make room for the sauce.

My dog, Guru, is waiting for me to drop something.
18Brush some melted butter on the cut side of the top half, and around the edges of the bottom half.
19Place a rack in the second to top position, and set your oven to broil.
20Add the Bolognese sauce to the bottom.
21Add a generous portion of mozzarella to the top of the sauce.
22Place in the oven, and broil until the cheese begins to bubble and brown, about 3 minutes.
23It should look something like this...
24Serve with some chips, and plenty of napkins. Enjoy.
25Keep the faith, and keep cooking.