4-Ingredient Sloppy Joes That Actually Taste Like Something
Photo: Yash Maramangallam on Pexels
The ones from the can are fine. The ones from the manwich commercial are fine. But four ingredients and twenty minutes get you something with actual depth — caramelized beef, a sauce with some funk to it, and enough sweetness to feel like a treat without feeling like candy. Put it on toasted buns, over rice, or between two slices of bread. Nobody will ask where the other ingredients went.
What You Need
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
How to Make It
- 1
Warm a wide skillet over medium-high. Break the ground beef into the dry pan — no oil needed, the fat renders out. Cook, breaking it up with the back of a spoon, until deeply browned in spots. This takes 8 minutes and it matters — pale gray beef makes pale gray sloppy joes.
- 2
Drain off most of the fat, leaving a thin coat. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, and worcestershire. Season with salt and a lot of black pepper.
- 3
Simmer 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce clings to the meat and stops looking wet. Taste — if it needs more worcestershire punch, add a splash. Pile onto toasted buns.
