I have ventured back into our Family Cookbook for Mama’s Sloppy Joes recipe. There is something retro and comfortable about eating sloppy joes. Do you know what I mean? I can remember loving them as a child and always enjoyed Mom’s. Don’t really know where she got it from, so I am crediting her with the recipe.
Do you know where the name “sloppy joes” comes from? I did a little research on that and found several different versions. According to Wikipedia “a sloppy joe is a sandwich consisting of ground beef, onions, tomato sauce or ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings, served on a hamburger bun. The dish originated in the United States during the early 20th century.” Well that pretty much describes this recipe. I am sure you can tweak it to your liking. Can’t you just smell this simmering right now?
Several theories abound on the specific recipe origin–even one from Havana, Cuba–and includes stories from the Midwest. Somehow, someway, somebody named Joe decided to add some tomato sauce to some hamburger and slap it on a bun. That’s all we really need to know for now. Please feel free to research the history yourself. It’s kind of fun.
I was pretty excited that everyone, including the grandkids, enjoyed this sloppy joe supper, served with baked beans and a tossed green salad. And for someting sweet, you will want to try Eclair Dessert with Fudge Frosting. Can’t ever get enough of that stuff! By the way, this recipe makes 14 servings.
Mama's Sloppy Joes
- July 8, 2021
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground chuck
- 3 cups chopped celery
- 3 cups chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons salt
- dash of black pepper
- 2 cups diced, canned tomatoes
- 1 small bottle of catsup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- hamburger buns.
Directions
- Step 1
- Brown meat in skillet over medium-high heat, until you get a little crunch on it–it’s more flavorful! Drain off fat.
- Step 2
- Add all the ingredients, except the buns, and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour.
