The Best Sloppy Joes
This is a big-batch recipe which can be easily doubled, tripled, etc., making it perfect when you need to feed a large group.
½ cup yellow onions, small-diced
¼ cup green pepper, small-diced
¼ cup celery, small-diced
8 oz. can tomato sauce
¼ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
In a medium or large frying pan, cook the ground beef with the onions over medium heat until the meat is browned and onions translucent. Drain any excess fat from the pan.
Add the remaining ingredients, except the salt and pepper, and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
If mixture is too thick, add a bit of water; if too thin, keep cooking until desired consistency is achieved . Serve immediately in toasted buns or freeze for up to 3 months. Can be refrigerated for several days.
For large batches: If doubling the recipe, add 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar; if tripling, add 2 tablespoons.
To freeze: Cool beef mixture completely. Pour into a large plastic freezer bag, place bag in a medium bowl and freeze (once frozen, bowl can be removed).
To thaw, simply place the bag in a large saucepan filled with 1 to 2 inches of water and heat over medium-low heat until thawed. Reheat mixture on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.