SPICY SLOPPY JOES (SLOW COOKER)

By Lynnab3

When it comes to greatness, like the immortal Sloppy Joe sandwich, the most brilliant American comfort food since mac and cheese, people always fight for the credit. Which is why more than one Joe claims to have created the Sloppy Joe.



In Iowa, lore has it that a Sioux City short-order cook attached his name to the restaurant’s “loose meat sandwich” and watched things take off from there. But Key Westers believe that in the 1930s, Earnest Hemingway (uh huh) nicknamed his favorite bar Sloppy Joe’s because the floor was always wet, or something. In Cuba, a Havana club called Sloppy Joe claimed that Hemingway had gotten the name from them. And a New Jersey deli owner said that he, not Hemingway, was the one who’d brought the name Sloppy Joe home from … Havana.



Well, at least we no longer call them loose meat sandwiches. And at least we can all agree that slow-cooking is the best possible way to make the best possible Sloppy Joe.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 16 ounce jars salsa
• 3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (8 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (3 medium)
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped red and/or green sweet peppers
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 kaiser rolls, split and toasted

Details

Adapted from recipe.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until brown, stirring to break meat into small pieces. Drain off fat. In a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker, combine cooked beef, salsa, mushrooms, carrots, sweet peppers, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic.

Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

Reserve and store* 5 cups of the meat mixture; use for Spicy Beef Taco Salad (see recipe below). Serve remaining meat mixture on toasted kaiser rolls. Makes 6 servings

Storage
* Place meat mixture in an airtight container; seal. Chill for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before using.

Variation
Spicy Beef Taco Salad: In a large saucepan, stir together reserved meat mixture, 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained; 2.25-ounce can sliced pitted ripe olives, drained; and 1 teaspoon Mexican or taco seasoning. Heat to boiling; reduce heat, Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. To serve, place 6 baked crisp salad shells on servings plates; fill with 9 cups torn iceberg lettuce. Add meat mixture. Top with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1 cup chopped tomato; and 1/3 cup dairy sour cream. Makes 6 servings.