Sloppy Joes with Tangy Tomato Beef on Toasted Buns
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and America's Test Kitchen.
Beef mince is tenderised with a little bicarbonate, browned with onion, garlic, paprika and tomato purée, then simmered with ketchup, cider vinegar and mustard until thick.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Tenderise the beef. Stir the bicarbonate into 1 tbsp water, then mix it and the salt into the beef. Leave for 10 minutes; this keeps the mince tender and juicy.
- 2
Start the sauce. Heat the oil in the pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 4 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, sugar, paprika and chilli flakes for 30 seconds, then the tomato purée, cooking for 2 minutes until it darkens.
- 3
Brown the beef. Add the beef, breaking it into small pieces, and cook for 5-6 minutes until no pink remains.
- 4
Simmer. Whisk the ketchup, vinegar, mustard, cornflour and 200 ml water together. Stir into the pan and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to mound on a spoon and the beef reaches 71 °C.
- 5
Serve. Toast the cut sides of the buns in a dry pan for 1 minute. Spoon a quarter of the beef onto each base, add pickles and the lid.
Storage
Refrigerate the filling within 1 hour for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat until piping hot (74 °C). Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- small bowl
- large bowl
- large non-stick frying pan
- wooden spoon
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 493 kcal |
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbohydrate | 42.8 g |
| of which sugars | 12.2 g |
| of which free sugars | 9.5 g |
| Fat | 22.9 g |
| of which saturates | 7.4 g |
| Fibre | 2.6 g |
| Salt | 2.09 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5.7 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
