Smoked Sloppy Joes
Classic sloppy Joes with a BBQ twist. Ground beef is smoked before being simmered in a sweet, tangy, smoky sauce and served on toasted buns.
Servings: 6 people
Cost: $15.00
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef 80/20
- 2 tablespoons SPG rub
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup diced green pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups syrah, or other fruit forward red wine
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For Serving
- 6 brioche or hamburger buns
- pickles, optional
Instructions
How To Smoke Ground Beef
- Preheat smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (F) using fruit wood.
- Layout bulk ground beef on a sheet tray. Coat with dry rub. And place on smoker for up to 60 minutes or until the larger clumps reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
- Chop up the ground beef into smaller pieces and add to the sauce simmer.
For The Sloppy Joe Sauce
- While beef is smoking and using a large cast iron skillet over medium heat add olive oil, red onions, and peppers. Stir to soften, but not brown or caramelize. About 10 minutes. Adjust heat down if needed.
- Add garlic and stir for additional two minutes.
- Add wine and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes while stirring.
- Add ketchup, tomato paste, Worcestershire, hot sauce, paprika, dry mustard, and salt, and bring back to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the smoked beef and stir to combine. Cook an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve: Spoon the sloppy Joe mixture onto the toasted buns and top with pickles or coleslaw, if desired.
Notes
Ground beef: 80/20 ground chuck provides the best flavor and texture, but leaner ground beef will also work.
Smoke: Apple and cherry are my preferred woods. Avoid heavily smoking the beef because the sauce already contains plenty of flavor.
Make ahead: The cooked sloppy Joe mixture can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
No smoker: Brown the ground beef in a skillet and continue with the recipe as written. Add a little smoked paprika or use a smoky BBQ sauce if you want to mimic some of the smoke flavor.
Serving: Toast the buns before serving to help them hold up to the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 835mg | Potassium: 706mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 883IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 5mg
