Sloppy Joes

To quote my husband "this is the best barbecue I ever had!" Something like that is soooo good to hear! And it was really good. We were watching a rerun of Throwdown with Bobby Flay and the challenge was sloppy joes. I usually don't make them since I would take the short cut and use a can of Manwich...which my husband tells me he hates. Interesting? So needless to say, I was quite shocked when he asked to put sloppy joes on the menu this week.

This recipe is super simple but has a TON of flavor! It's even better the second and third day!

1 1/4 lb lean ground beef
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 green pepper, minced
1/2 red pepper, minced
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1 cup ketchup
2 cups crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp salt

Brown meat in a large skillet. Drain grease and then remove meat and place into a bowl, set aside.

In the same skillet, add the canola oil and add the onion, peppers, garlic and chili flakes. Cook on medium heat for about 7 minutes until tender and cooked through.

In a larger pot, add the ketchup, tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and mix well. Add in the cooked vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover and cook on medium low heat for about 15 minutes.

Add the sauce to a food processor or blender and puree into a smooth sauce. Add the sauce back into the pot and reduce heat to low. Add the ground beef and stir.

Cover and cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve on crusty rolls. Makes approximately 8 sandwiches.

Recipe adapted from : Simple Comfort Food