Here is another recipe that I think everyone gets wrong. I’m a firm believer in simple being better. What makes sloppy joe so good is the sweetness of the meat. I love spicy foods, but this is one that I think shouldn’t have a lot of spicy. No chili powder. This works perfectly with my simple 4 ingredient sauce but any tomato sauce will work if you just add garlic and brown sugar.
When I was a kid, the one thing I always enjoyed in the school lunch was a sloppy joe. I doubt they put a ton of spices into the mix. No Worchester sauce and no chili powder, in my opinion. Give it a try this way and see what you think.

How did Sloppy Joe Get Its Name?
Some say a cook named Joe in Sioux City, Iowa was the first to start selling this. I like the version of it being invented in Cuba years earlier by a guy named Jose, who worked in a restaurant frequented by Ernest Hemmingway, so they gave it an American name. If you ever go to Key West, you can tour Ernest Hemmingway’s home and party at a joint called Sloppy Joes. It’s a great time I recommend that trip more than this recipe.

I made the sloppy joe in a 12″ Hexclad pan cooked over medium heat.
PrintSloppy Joe
A sloppy joe is a sandwich with ground beef in a sweet sauce.
- Prep Time: 1 Minute
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Pan
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chop Meat
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 cup Tomato Sauce
- Package of 8 Hamber Buns
Instructions
- Brown the meat and remove draining the grease.
- Melt butter with sliced garlic and add the meat back into the pan.
- Add Brown Sugar and stir.
- Add tomato sauce and cook over medium heat string continuously to incorporate flavors.
- Add Spices
Notes
If you want to do this meal the right way, be sure to include Tater tots on the side.
Adding onion and green peppers might give it a little crunch, which would be the two things I would not object to adding. I wouldn’t add ketchup or other spices like chili powder or crushed red pepper. The key to this recipe is the tomato sauce with brown sugar to give it that sweet flavor.
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