Smokey Joes – These smokey joes are barbecue sloppy joes. When you’re thinking about gourmet dishes, sloppy joes probably don’t come to mind. 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 Mom made homemade sloppy joes for us all of the time when we were kids. There’s just something about them that kids seem to really love. I never buy the sauce in a can, because most of the items you need to make a tasty sauce are already in your pantry.
My family loves barbecue, so, no surprise, I had to put a smokey spin on my ‘Joes dubbing them “Smokey Joes.” We love this on toasted kaiser rolls but, at times we’ll also eat this as a meat sauce over a steamy bowl of cheddar grits. It’s honest, down home good eats. It keeps my family happy and my budget on track.
Smokey Joes
Servings 6 -8
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 small red or green bell pepper finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- salt & black pepper to taste
- 2 lbs extra lean ground beef
- 1 can [14.5 oz] fire roasted tomatoes
- 2/3 cup ketchup
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar [or to taste]
- 2 tsp liquid hickory smoke flavoring
- 2 tsp barbecue seasoning [I used Barbecue Magic]
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- In a stove top pan, heat a couple of drizzles of olive oil. Saute the diced onion and pepper for 3-4 minutes until they turn translucent and are beginning to soften and brown. Add the minced garlic and saute for another minute. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add the ground beef and cook until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat from the pan then add all of the remaining ingredients.
- Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Use a spoon to break up the tomatoes.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro or parsley at the end.
- Serve on toasted kaiser rolls
Recipe Notes
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.
Linda says
Melissa, I commented earlier but just realized I didn’t sign in. It’s Friday, and I’m a blonde, lol. Fab recipe, I’ll be making this for sure!
Melissa says
lol I totally get the blonde thing..thanks so much!