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Why I Love These Sloppy Joes
When was the last time you had a sloppy joe? Growing up, we had these sandwiches often because my mom could make them quickly. And I realized that when tasting someone else’s sloppy joes recipe, Mom’s were the best. Fighting words, maybe, but we all think our Mom is the best.
This recipe is just the right amount of sloppy. It’s “sloppy” without being too sloppy if you know what I mean.
The key is a small amount of yellow mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Those two ingredients turn up the flavor subtly, making this sandwich feel like it took more time to make than it did. The mixture can be made ahead, stored in the refrigerator, and warmed up before serving. Whether it’s for a party or a weeknight, this mixture can also be prepared and then kept warm in a slow cooker (perfect for tailgating!).
One of my favorite ways to eat a sloppy joe is with melted cheese sprinkled over the meat and homemade pickles. Some people prefer to add more ketchup or other condiments, but I find that these sloppy joes have enough tomato flavor that anything else isn’t needed.
Why you’ll love these sloppy joes, too:
- All made in one pan, coming together really quickly on the stove.
- A combination of ground beef and ground pork for the best flavor and texture.
- Flour thickens the sauce, which prevents it from being too runny.
- Great for feeding a crowd, serving at picnics, or keeping warm in a slow cooker while tailgating.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully and can even be frozen for easy, future meals.
Sloppy Joe Ingredients
Sloppy joes come together with a few simple ingredients:
- Ground beef and ground pork – A combination of meats that balance each other out for the perfect flavor and texture.
- Onion – Cooks with the meat, adding depth to each bite.
- Neutral oil – A small amount helps the onion soften and keeps the meat from sticking.
- All–purpose flour – Sprinkled over the meat to thicken the sauce.
- Kosher salt – Seasons the meat and sauce so the whole mixture tastes fully flavored.
- Tomato juice – Gives body and a bright tomato base without being overly sweet. These sandwiches are the perfect use for my home-canned version of tomato juice.
- Ketchup – Adds that classic sloppy joe sweetness.
- Yellow mustard and Worcestershire sauce – Add additional flavor to balance out the sweetness and provide some background umami.
Optional toppings: hamburger buns (a must!), shredded cheese, and pickles – Take your pick of what you like to pair with your sloppy joes!
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Sloppy Joes
This recipe comes together in three steps:
Step 1: Brown the meat – Heat the neutral oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add in diced onion, ground beef, and ground pork. Using a spoon, break the meat into chunks to brown evenly.
Step 2: Add flour to thicken – Once all of the meat has browned, sprinkle in the flour and stir it into the meat mixture. Cook for about 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste. Once cooked, remove from the heat.
Step 3: Add the flavorings – Add in the salt, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, tomato juice, and ketchup. Stir the mixture to make sure everything is well-combined. Place the pan back on the stovetop over low heat to warm the mixture through. After 4-6 minutes, when the mixture has thickened, remove from heat and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- Balanced flavors – Rather than using ground beef alone, adding ground pork creates a lighter, more flavorful meat mixture. You can do all ground beef, but I’d recommend trying it with both.
- Cook fully – Before adding the flour, ensure all the liquid from the meat has cooked off. If some liquid remains in the kettle and will not cook off, pour off any excess. You do not want liquid in the kettle when adding the flour.
- Activate the flour – Placing the mixture back on the heat after adding all the spices and flavorings will activate the flour added earlier in the cooking process. This will thicken the meat mixture and hold it together.
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
To serve – As soon as the meat has heated with the flavorings, serve hot on hamburger buns. Add any of your favorite toppings or set out a spread for people to pick from: pickles, sliced onions, more ketchup, or even shredded cheese that will melt on top. This recipe works any time of year, but in summer I love it with pasta salad, baked beans, and coleslaw. During cooler months, I love these with tomato soup and black bean soup.
To store – Cool and refrigerate the meat mixture in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Mom exclusively made this in the microwave. The cooking times will need to be adjusted, but the outcome will be the same.
No, you cannot pour all the raw ingredients into a slow cooker and achieve the same outcome. The recipe will need to be prepared and then refrigerated or placed in a slow cooker to keep warm.
More Weeknight Recipes
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- ½ cup tomato juice
- ¾ cup ketchup
Instructions
- Brown the meat: In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add the onion, ground beef, and ground pork. Cook and break the meat into small pieces until it is evenly browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Once the meat is cooked, check for any extra liquid in the bottom of the saucepan. If there is liquid, continue to cook until it is dry, or pour it off and discard it.1 medium onion, 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb ground pork, 1 tbsp neutral oil
- Add the flour: Sprinkle the flour and salt over the cooked meat and stir to combine. Cook the flour over medium-low heat for 1 minute to remove any raw flavor.2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Add the flavorings: Once cooked, remove the mixture from the heat and add the salt, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, tomato juice, and ketchup. Stir to incorporate evenly and return the mixture to medium heat. Stir and cook the meat over medium heat until the mixture tightens and warms through, 4-6 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the heat and serve.1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp yellow mustard, ½ cup tomato juice, ¾ cup ketchup, 1 tsp kosher salt
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Dera Burreson
Love this recipe! Can ground turkey be used? Thank you
Really flavorful!
A new family favorite. Thank you! Love the pickle addition
Just made the Sloppy Joe recipe tonight since family were over and the recipe gets a 10/10 from everyone including myself since it is so easy to prepare. I made another recipe eons ago and wasn’t happy with it so it was with trepidation I made this one. I did at that point remind myself that Kaleb couldn’t have got it wrong and I was so right. Thank you for my new recipe to put in my binder and I will be sharing this with family and friends.
Hi! I am so glad the sloppy joes were enjoyed, these are one of my favorites!