Description
Make these Sloppy Joe Sliders for the perfect party food!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds ground beef
- 1 – 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, if needed
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided plus additional to taste
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh dry mustard (if yours is from 1989 it’s time to invest in a new one)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper, optional
- 1 teaspoon sumac, optional
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or 2 tablespoons if not using apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 14-oz can tomatoes with their liquid (fire- roasted if possible),
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, optional (if you like your Joes spicy!)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, optional (if gluten-free, leave this ingredient out)
- A few dashes of hot sauce, optional
- 2 packages of slider buns (6 count), small brioche rolls (6 count), or hawaiian rolls (12 count) (gluten-free or regular)
- 24 ounces mozzarella or cheddar cheese, sliced
Optional:
- Sliced pickles
- Marinated Red Onions
- Potato chips, to serve alongside
Instructions
- Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and the beef. Add half the salt and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the meat.
- Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic, and cook until meat is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the rest of the salt, smoked paprika, dry mustard, pepper, cayenne pepper, and the optional Aleppo pepper and sumac, stirring to combine.
- Stir in the brown sugar and vinegars then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and all remaining optional ingredients (chipotle peppers, Worcestershire and hot sauce). Stir to combine well.
- Transfer to a slow cooker, cover and cook on low, stirring every ninety minutes, until done, about 6 hours. I like to try a bit along the way and decide when it tastes perfect. You may end up cooking between 4-6 hours, depending on your idea of the perfect Sloppy Joe. Add more sugar or vinegar as desired.
- You can also keep it in the Dutch oven and cook at 250F in a Bain Marie (set the Dutch oven in a large roasting pan with a few inches of water in it) for 4-6 hours. . Doing so will ensure the meat doesn’t dry out too much. Make sure to replenish the water in the pan as needed during cooking time.
- Note: To make a double batch for meal prep, I suggest you double the ingredients except for the paprika, cayenne pepper, and Aleppo pepper and sumac, if using. For those, you can do 1.5 times the written amount.
- You can make the Sloppy Joe’s sliders now, or you can let the Sloppy Joe’s mixture cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge or in the freezer. Simply thaw before using (if frozen), and warm in a pan before making your sliders!.
- When ready to make the sliders, turn your oven to 350F.
- Slice the buns horizontally, parallel to your cutting surface. Place the bottom of the buns in a baking dish or pan and top with a layer of cheese slices. Spoon a generous amount of the Sloppy Joe mixture and top with more cheese. Close the sliders with the top buns and brush with melted butter.
- Loosely cover the baking dish or pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese, then remove the foil and leave in the oven for another 5-10 minutes until the buns look golden brown. When done, remove the sliders from the oven.
- Serve with pickles, marinated onions, and chips on the side!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slider
- Calories: 352
- Sugar: 6.6 g
- Sodium: 679.5 mg
- Fat: 21.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.6 g
- Protein: 25.5 g
- Cholesterol: 84.4 mg