Smokey Joes

These barbecue Smokey Joes put the bbq in classic sloppy joes. In this recipe, ground beef is seasoned perfectly with a tomato sauce and barbecue seasoning blend all simmered together until the ingredients become full-flavored. It makes a tasty and budget friendly 30 minute meal, and it freezes well for a timesaver.

Ingredients to Make Smokey Joes BBQ Recipe (BBQ Sloppy Joes)

When you’re thinking about gourmet dishes, sloppy joes probably don’t come to mind as the superstars of our menu. However, they’re a fantastic and tasty way to feed a family on a budget, and they’re really a taste of childhood, aren’t they? My family loves barbecue, so it was a natural progression to put a smokey spin on my Sloppy Joes recipe hence the name “Smokey Joes” on the dinner menu. I realize the sauce in a can is inexpensive and easy to find, but I don’t buy it because most of the items you need to make a tasty sauce are already in your pantry. The beauty is, you can also personalize the seasonings to your taste. Add this recipe to your weeknight menu and you’re bound to make it on repeat. Ingredients to make Smoky Joes BBQ Sloppy Joes: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Meat – Lean ground beef. I used 90/10.
• Onion – One medium sweet onion or yellow onion for a stronger onion flavor.
• Peppers – Red or green bell pepper expands the flavor profile.
• Fresh Garlic – Garlic cloves complement the onion in the sauce.
• Sauce – Fire roasted tomatoes, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce form the base of the sauce.
• Sugar – Light or dark brown sugar for sweetness. You can adjust this to taste.
• Liquid Smoke – Since we’re making the sauce from scratch liquid hickory smoke flavoring adds the “smoky joes” flavor.
• Seasonings – Salt and black pepper to taste, barbecue seasoning i.e. Barbecue Magic or similar, ground mustard, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, oregano and parsley.

How to Make the BEST Smokey Joes Recipe

If you love bbq pork ribs, beef ribs, pulled pork, spare ribs, smoked bbq chicken and the best brisket or just great barbecue sandwiches, you’ll love the smokey flavor of these bbq sloppy joes.

• Sauté Vegetables – Heat a couple of drizzles of olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onion and pepper over medium-high heat until translucent, softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic cooking for one minute longer. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Cook Ground Beef – Add ground beef. Cook until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat from the pan.
• Make the Sauce – To the pan add fire roasted tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, liquid hickory smoke flavoring, barbecue seasoning i.e. Barbecue Magic or similar, ground mustard, red pepper flakes, paprika, oregano and flat leaf parsley. Stir to combine.
• Cook – Leave off the lid and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat per the recipe until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Use a spoon to break up the tomatoes.
• Serve – Serve on toasted kaiser rolls, hamburger buns, Texas toast or slide rolls.

Tips for Making BBQ Smoky Joes

• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: Large skillet, measuring cups and spoons, large spoon or silicone spatula for stirring, sharp knife and cutting board.
• How to Serve: You can serve a piping hot smokey joe the same way you would serve classic sloppy joes. They’re super tasty served on toasted Kaiser rolls as sandwiches, hamburger buns or on slider rolls with a slice of cheddar cheese as an appetizer. You can also ladle it over Texas toast for an open faced sandwich.
• Use as a Sauce for Grits or Pasta: Serve smokey joes beef mixture as a meat sauce over a bowl of cheddar grits or spoon it over spaghetti as a pasta sauce. You could also serve it on hot dogs in place of chili.
• Side Dishes to Serve with Smokey Joes BBQ: French fries or sweet potato fries, baked beans, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, pasta salad or macaroni salad, hush puppies, coleslaw, roasted veggies or corn on the cob made on the grill.

Recipe Variations

• Protein Variations: You can make this bbq smoky joe’s mixture using ground chicken or ground turkey in place of ground beef. You could also use ground pork or chorizo sausage.
• Tomato Substitutions: I really loved the flavor of fire roasted tomatoes in this easy smoky joe bbq recipe. That said, you can use any canned tomatoes that you may have on hand. You could even use Rotel tomatoes with chiles for a little spice.
• Barbecue Seasoning: You can use your favorite brand of barbecue seasoning for this recipe. I used Barbecue Magic.
• Barbecue Sauce: If you’re in a hurry, you can adapt the tomato sauce adding your favorite barbecue sauce. When doing so, omit the liquid smoke and adjust the amount of ketchup.
• Tomatoes: If you prefer the tomatoes to have a a finer texture, pulse the tomatoes a few times in the food processor prior to adding them to the pan.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store the meat mixture for Smoky Joes chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave in single serving portions.
• Freezer Tips: You can also make and freeze the filling for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat prior to serving.

More Easy Ground Beef Recipes to Make

• Chili Mac is terrific for game day snacking or weekday meals.
• Beef Tamale Pie is topped with a cornbread crust.
• Homemade Spaghetti Sauce for Italian night at home.
• Bacon Cheeseburger Pie is made with a shredded potato crust.
• Slow Cooked Cowboy Casserole simmers in your crockpot while you go about your day.
• Instant Pot Beef and Bean Chili topped with sour cream and cheddar cheese.
• Mediterranean Meatball Kabobs from Beef It’s What’s for Dinner.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Cast Iron Skillet
• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Set
• Kitchen Utensils