Sloppy Joes

I had Sloppy Joes once when I was a kid, it was at my friend's house, and I wasn't into them.  I remember it being really sweet, and gross.  So, when I got the America's Test Kitchen cookbook a few years ago, I didn't even look at the recipe, but then I was curious as to what was actually in it.  Upon reading the recipe, It seemed super simple and tasty....so I'm not sure what the problem was when I was a kid.   Anyway, I tried the recipe with my family, and it's quick, super easy and delicious.  It goes really well on the Soft Pretzel Buns.  To keep the cooking to a minimum, serve it with a fresh garden salad.

Ingredients

2 T. Vegetable Oil

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1/2 tsp. chili powder

salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound 90% lean ground beef

1 cup tomato puree

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup water

1 tsp. brown sugar

hot sauce

hamburger buns, or pretzel buns

Bread and butter pickles

1. Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onion, chili powder and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook unil onion is softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, unil almost cooked through but still slightly pink, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the tomato puree, ketchup, water, brown sugar and 1/2 tsp. hot sauce.  Simmer until the sauce is slightly thicker than the ketchup, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Season with salt and hot sauce to taste.  Spoon mixture over hamburger buns and serve.  Good if served with a pickle.

Variations:

Skinny Joes: substitute ground turkey for ground beef

Smoky Joes: substiture 1/2 cup BBQ sauce for ketchup, serve with onions rather than a pickle

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