KID FRIENDLY SLOPPY JOES

KID FRIENDLY SLOPPY JOES

BEEF RECIPES GROUND BEEF RECIPES SANDWICH RECIPES

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Years ago, when our hungry teenage boys came home for dinner (with hungry friends tagging along) it was a challenge to feed them all with one pan of Sloppy Joe's. Unexpected "guests" at the dinner table were fun, but required some quick thinking, so I "stretched" this simple but tried and true recipe, by adding kidney beans, extra shredded veggies and cheese. It was always a big hit. Necessity is the mother of invention I guess, thank goodness for versatile recipes like this one.

 These days, with the kids all gone, I still make full size batches of Sloppy Joes but I freeze the extra in quart freezer bags. I put the leftover meat into the bag, removing as much of the air as possible, then patting the meat into a 1" thick flat shape before freezing it (this thin "disk" of Sloppy Joe filling thaws out quickly). I love "instant" meals like this. 

1 pound lean ground beef (I use 90% lean)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup shredded carrot
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 (to)1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (see note)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Cook the hamburger and vegetables together until meat is no longer pink (chopping up the meat as it cooks) (drain meat well).

Stir in remaining ingredients (except buns). Simmer on med-low for about 20 minutes (to reduce the consistency of the sauce, but don't let it get too dry). Fill the hamburger buns with the beef mixture and serve.
NOTE: After this is cooked, it keeps well in the crockpot (on low) if your dinner hour is uncertain.

NOTE: I serve these with a slice of cheese under the meat mixture and a squirt of yellow mustard on top of the filling (our favorite).

NOTE: I make this with an 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne because picky-picky husband is VERY SHY when it comes to heat/spice in his food. If you like a little more spark in your sandwich, use 1/4 teaspoon.

ENJOY !!!?

CHUCK ROAST SLOPPY JOES IN THE CROCK POT

CHUCK ROAST SLOPPY JOES IN THE CROCK POT

BEEF RECIPES POT LUCK RECIPES SANDWICH RECIPES

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This recipe came about one day when I was feeling very lazy relaxed.
I had a big beef chuck roast in the fridge and the idea of regular old roast beef just didn't sound good, so I went through my recipes and spotted a Sloppy Joe recipe that I've been using for 30+ years and thought...why not???

I just put the roast and veggies in the crock pot, early in the day, and enjoyed the wonderful aroma of our upcoming dinner all afternoon. When it was time to eat, I just pulled out some burger buns and potato salad and we had a meal fit for company (well, MY kind of company any way).

CHUCK ROAST SLOPPY JOE'S

2 pounds lean beef chuck roast (trim any large fatty areas)
1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup green pepper
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon mustard powder
Pinch of cayenne powder

Brown the beef chuck roast in a frying pan, then put it in the slow cooker (a large slow cooker works best). In the same frying pan, saute the vegetables until the onions are almost transparent, then tuck them in and around the meat. 

Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over the meat and veggies. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours, or on low for 8 hours. It isn't necessary, but I turn the meat over a couple of times during cooking and spoon the sauce over the meat.

Thirty minutes (or so) before serving, remove the meat and thicken the sauce with a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Once the sauce is nice and thick, cut the beef into slices
(or just pull it apart) and put it back into the sauce so it will stay nice and hot.

When it is time to eat, pile the meat and sauce on a warm buttered bun or french bread ....oh so good!!! I like my Sloppy Joe sandwich with a swirl of yellow mustard.....how do you like yours?


NOTE:  My slow cooker takes only 4 hours on high to make the meat extremely tender, but still slice-able. If you like your beef more like pulled pork, cook it on high for 5 hours.

NOTE: Browning the meat and veggies isn't absolutely necessary, but it sure improves the overall taste.

ENJOY !!!

CROCKPOT SHORT RIB TACOS

CROCKPOT SHORT RIB TACOS

BEEF RECIPES COMFORT FOOD TEX-MEX RECIPES

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Today's post came about one day when I had some BONELESS beef short ribs thawed out and I had no clue what to do with them.  I decided to make boneless short rib tacos and they were SO GOOD, I will definitely be making these again!!

Start with 2� pounds of BONELESS beef short ribs. I'm sure every butcher shop has their version, but the ones I use look like this and they are about 1/2" thick:

In a small cup, mix 3 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin (don't leave that out), 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of oregano and 1 tablespoon of dry onion flakes. Mix well and sprinkle both sides of the meat evenly as possible (no need to brown the meat!!)  

Put the seasoned meat in the crockpot in single layer and top with a 4 ounce can of undrained mild green chile's (I use Ortega).

Cook on low for 6 hours or until they are fall apart tender (it really depends on how thick the meat is). Don't add any liquid.

Remove the meat from the crockpot and cover with foil to keep warm for a few minutes. There will be about a cup of broth in the bottom of the crockpot...thicken it and coat the meat with the "taco gravy". Each boneless short rib makes one awesome taco!!

The leftovers (sliced on the bias) made fantastic grilled beef and cheese subs.?

ENJOY !!!

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