We LOVE Sloppy Joes! The best ever Joe is the Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes made with beef, lots of onion, Heinz ketchup and brown sugar. This beefy mixture is all wrapped up in your favorite bun or served open faced.
Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes Recipe – A Traditional Recipe Handed Down the Generations
If you grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, you ate an awful lot of simple “Sloppy Joes” for dinner. Moms everywhere loved how easy it was to brown some ground beef, add in a few simple condiments, and dinner was on the table!
If you grew up in Pittsburgh, you also ate a lot of “Chipped Ham BBQ” sandwiches made with Isaly’s chipped ham and a delicious homemade BBQ sauce of ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar. Sometimes yellow mustard was thrown in the BBQ sauce for a little kick, but that was the basic simple sauce recipe.
The same homemade, ketchup-based BBQ sauce is also used for these scrumptious sloppy joes! Enjoy!
So, what is a Sloppy Joe? A sloppy joe is simply a sandwich that is filled with cooked ground beef and added ketchup or tomato sauce and served on a hamburger bun.
What you Need to Make these Simple Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes:
- Lean Ground Beef
- Yellow Onion
- Ketchup – we are from Pittsburgh, PA and we love Heinz Ketchup
- Brown Sugar
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Hamburger Buns – you can also use mini slider buns as well
Simple Meal of Simple Sloppy That Families have Enjoyed for Generations.
- 1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1-1/4 cup Heinz ketchup
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 6 hamburger buns
- salt & pepper
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In a large skillet, cook beef and onions over medium heat until no longer pink. Sprinkle beef with salt, pepper and all of the brown sugar while it cooks.
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Stir in the ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar.
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Bring mixture to a light boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
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Serve on buns and sprinkle with cheese (if desired).
Yum – brown the ground beef with onions until cooked through. Drain any extra grease and then add the rest of the ingredients. Lightly salt & pepper ground beef as it browns.
What to Serve with Sloppy Joes –
Sometimes we change up the way we prepare our Simple Sloppy Joes and serve them on crispy Texas toast sprinkled with cheddar cheese… pure yum!
- Fresh fruit cups make a nice side dish for this sandwich.
- You can also serve these delicious sandwiches with a simple coleslaw with fresh cabbage. Serve on the sandwich or on the side.
- Serve with potato chips or easy air fryer frozen french fries
- Don’t forget the pickles on the side of the sandwich.
How to Make a Very Simple and Delicious Coleslaw
Coleslaw Sauce:
3/4 cup real mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. celery seed
salt & pepper
1/2 small head green cabbage, grated or thinly sliced, lightly salt & peppered
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
In a medium bowl, Whisk together sauce: mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar, and celery seed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cabbage and carrots and mix to thoroughly combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Why we Love the Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joe
Sloppy Joes are just so easy to cook and prepare. Grab your favorite skillet and brown some ground beef and then add some ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar. The sauce in the Sloppy Joe is just delicious and makes for a warm and comforting sandwich. You can take sloppy Joes to a party or picnic by keeping the mixture warm in a crockpot until ready to use.
How to Make an Open-Faced or Texas Toast Sloppy Joe
- Bake Texas Toast according to package directions.
- Spoon your beef mixture on top of the Texas Toast.
- Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Lay on a baking sheet and broil until cheese melts.
- Serve on a plate with a knife and fork.
How to Store Leftover Sloppy Joes
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for about 4-5 days and reheat in the microwave when ready to use.
Do you LOVE Sloppy Joes as Much as We Do? Try our other Sloppy Recipes:
Oven Baked Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes with Beans
Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
