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Jim’s Almost Perfect Sloppy Joes

A thick, spicy sandwich filling
Course Sandwich filling
Cuisine American
Keyword ropa vieja, sloppy joe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 sandwiches
Calories 500kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 80/20 ground beef
  • 1 sweet onion finely diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper finely diced
  • 1/2 orange bell pepper finely diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper finely diced
  • 1 stalk celery finely diced
  • 1 carrot shredded
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp clove
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 dried chili peppers chef’s choice!, broken into small pieces
  • 1 15 oz can tomato puree
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Brown the beef over high heat, starting to break up after getting a good initial sear. Break up into small pieces as it cooks and lower the heat. Remove with strainer or slotted spoon, leaving drippings in the pan.
  • Sautee onion, bell peppers, celery, and carrot in beef drippings until nicely soft and beginning to caramelize. If they get too dry and are in danger of scorching, use a little of the beef stock to deglaze. Add the garlic a few minutes before the onions are ready.
  • Add the spices and cook a few more minutes until fragrant.
  • Add the ground beef back to the pan, along with the beef stock, tomato puree, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer until the sauce is reduced to the desired thickness for sloppy joes.
  • Taste and season with salt and pepper.