Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes

Ahhh. . .let’s reminisce for a bit. Who remembers eating Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes as a child? I do, I do. I remember eating them at home, at school, at family parties. . .

I literally spent a good portion of my existence eating these delicious sandwiches. I really debated on what to call them here on Bitz & Giggles. At home, we call these sandwiches, BBQ. Do you call them BBQ or Sloppy Joes? Please let me know in the comments and then please mention where you’re from. I’m dying to know whether or not this is a Midwest thing.

It’s kind of like bubbler vs. drinking fountain and pop vs. soda. In case you’re wondering where I side in either of those examples, I go with, bubbler and pop. Are we having fun, yet?

What’s awesome about BBQ or Sloppy Joes. . . aww heck, I’m so confused now. Isn’t BBQ much easier to spell? ANYWAY, what’s awesome about BBQ (I’m going with that) is that everyones’ recipes seem to be a little bit different. You never know what you’re going to get when you bite into that bun. Sweet, spicy, thick, thin. . .

I’ll admit, growing up I had my fair share of Manwich; and you know what. . .I like that, too. But there’s just something about homemade Sloppy Joes (see I switched it up for you) that takes me back years ago to wonderful family parties where pounds upon pounds of it was served out of big roasters to feed a hungry crew (Don’t forget about those homemade baked beans, dill pickles and pasta salads that took up the rest of the food table). 

When I ask my relatives for any of their recipes, this is what I’d get. . .”Hun, I don’t use any recipe {snicker}, I just add a little bit of this and a little bit of that until it tastes right.”

Well, here’s the thing. That’s not always the easiest thing to do when you’re making BBQ. Because the true flavor of BBQ never shows its face until it’s had a chance to simmer for a bit. Heck, sometimes, you don’t even achieve the “true” taste until you heat it back up the next day. And here’s a little tip: if you have planned enough in advance, ALWAYS make your BBQ the day before and then just add a little water when you heat it back up. It takes a bit of time for the flavors to infuse the ground beef, and it’s seriously worth the wait.

This BBQ recipes tastes like home. HOME MADE. Just like the kind I had as a child at all of our family parties. It’s a sweeter sloppy joe. Throw in some onions, ketchup, tomato soup, sugar. Mmmm. . .it’s gettin’ good. Grab a couple chips (throw a couple in the sandwich for a little extra crunch), a homemade pickle, a slice of cheese and you’re good to go.

Heck, I like to plan parties just so I can make a ton of this delicious BBQ! Did I mention that it freezes wonderfully? It does. So go ahead and double or triple the recipe. Eat some now and save some for later. It doesn’t get any better than this. I’m running to get a “pop,” and then I’m digging into this BBQ! 😉

Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes

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A true family favorite perfect for weeknight meals or weekend entertaining!

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chuck or ground round
• 10–3/4 ounce tomato soup
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 11/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Buns
• Cheddar cheese slices (optional)

Instructions

1. Brown hamburger with onion and drain. Add the remaining ingredients to the browned hamburger and onion and mix. Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve on buns with a slice of cheddar cheese.

Notes

• Flavor increases with time. Excellent to make the day before and heat up the next day with a little water.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 283
• Sugar: 21
• Sodium: 545
• Fat: 11
• Saturated Fat: 5
• Unsaturated Fat: 5
• Trans Fat: 1
• Carbohydrates: 29
• Protein: 16
• Cholesterol: 52