Recipe #52 December 9, 2013

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into small dice - I only used 1/2 of an orange pepper
• 2 medium yellow onions, small dice - I only used one small onion
• 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 2 (14-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
• 6 to 8 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the peppers, onion, and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 6 minutes.
2. Add the tomato paste, stir to combine, and cook until the raw flavor has cooked out, about 1 minute.
3. Increase the heat to medium high, add the ground beef or turkey, and cook, breaking the meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until it’s just cooked through and no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the chili powder, cumin, and measured salt, stir to coat the meat and vegetables, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add the tomato sauce, water, vinegar, Worcestershire, and brown sugar, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld and the mixture thickens, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.