# Sloppy Joes- what's your recipe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2011, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638 "2011-02-08T12:37:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/1 "2011-02-08T12:37:44Z")
I’m looking for recipes other than those that use Manwich (I don’t care for that “Manwich tang”). My mom always made Joes with Campbell’s tomato soup and added onion and peppers. I’m thinking about throwing a little fresh garlic in there too. Any other homemade Joe recipes out there? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/2 "2011-02-08T12:41:43Z")
Idon’t know…generally a balance between Heinz chilli sauce, salt pepper, fatty ground beef, chili sauce, brown sugar, green mangoes, and onions. Maybe somet omatoo sauce and cloves. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/3 "2011-02-08T12:46:04Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Idon’t know…generally a balance between Heinz chilli sauce, salt pepper, fatty ground beef, chili sauce, brown sugar, green mangoes, and onions. Maybe somet omatoo sauce and cloves. Oooo I like the Heinz chili sauce idea. I just found a Rachael Ray recipe that uses tomato sauce/paste, montreal steak seasoning, brown sugar, red wine vinegar and worcestershire sauce. It got tons of good reviews. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/4 "2011-02-08T12:51:56Z")
Rachel ray can suck me, on a good day. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/5 "2011-02-08T12:53:51Z")
I chop up very fine onion, green pepper, and maybe celery and sautee it in olive oil. Then I put it in a dish and brown lean ground beef. If it’s not so lean I pour off the excess grease and re-add the sauteed vegetables, add a small can of tomato paste, some worcestershire sauce, and let it simmer. For extra flavor I will often add some bottled seasoning – Soy Vey teriyaki sauce, or Boss sauce, or something even more strange and interesting. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/6 "2011-02-08T12:54:42Z")
[The only thing you need to know about Sloppy Joes.](http://www.mccormick.com/Products/Seasoning-Mixes/Beef/Sloppy-Joe-Seasoning-Mix.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/7 "2011-02-08T13:07:02Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Rachel ray can suck me, on a good day. Typically I agree. I have to mute the TV if I’m going to watch her show. She’s nails/chalkboard to me, but I’ve gotta admit she makes some good food sometimes. I had to admit she wasn’t totally worthless when she made [this](http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=1362) on her show. I have all but stopped serving regular cocktail sauce with cold shrimp- this stuff is slap-yo-mama delicious (and note that I do not use that other _grating_ word she uses when she identifies something as delicious). ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/8 "2011-02-08T13:10:02Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > [The only thing you need to know about Sloppy Joes.](http://www.mccormick.com/Products/Seasoning-Mixes/Beef/Sloppy-Joe-Seasoning-Mix.aspx) Do these Joes have the “tang”? I notice the ingreds include citric acid, vinegar solids & cider vinegar. That throws up huge red flags for me. (no disrespecting your personal love for them!) ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/9 "2011-02-08T14:27:56Z")
> [@xanthous](#): > > I’m looking for recipes other than those that use Manwich (I don’t care for that “Manwich tang”). > > My mom always made Joes with Campbell’s tomato soup and added onion and peppers. I’m thinking about throwing a little fresh garlic in there too. > > Any other homemade Joe recipes out there? Try the [Manwich BOLD](http://foodette-reviews.blogspot.com/2010/01/manwich-bold.html) before dismissing all things Manwich. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/10 "2011-02-08T14:54:21Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > Try the [Manwich BOLD](http://foodette-reviews.blogspot.com/2010/01/manwich-bold.html) before dismissing all things Manwich. Nutri-Penis! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/11 "2011-02-08T14:56:31Z")
I usually just doctor up a bottle of chili sauce with onions, garlic, more onions, some Worcestershire, a splash of Crystal, some more onions and maybe a diced pepper or three. **devilsknew** - If I got some Ray Ray suckage, it would _definitely_ be a Good Day. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/12 "2011-02-08T15:10:08Z")
I dice up some onion and bell pepper and cook them with some ground chuck (my favorite ground beef). I’ll add in some corn oil if the chuck is too lean. Drain off any grease, and then I add some bottled BBQ sauce and serve. I like sloppy joes quite a bit, but my husband isn’t nearly as fond of them. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/13 "2011-02-08T15:29:58Z")
> [@xanthous](#): > > Do these Joes have the “tang”? I notice the ingreds include citric acid, vinegar solids & cider vinegar. That throws up huge red flags for me. (no disrespecting your personal love for them!) Not enough ‘tang’ to really comment on, especially if you use tomato paste with garlic and/or roasted peppers like the[Contidina](http://contadina.com/products/paste-tomato.aspx) brand. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/14 "2011-02-08T15:50:50Z")
I use generic tomato sauce from a jar and mix in some chili powder and diced onions. Not the fanciest stuff, but, hey, it’s sloppy joes. ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/15 "2011-02-08T15:55:08Z")
The classic recipe we had growing up was based on catsup & yellow mustard. I’ve modified it slightly, using a combo of jarred salsa, barbeque sauce, and Frank’s Red Hot instead of catsup, and deli or dijon mustard. I’ll also throw in some pickled jalapeno slices. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/16 "2011-02-08T15:55:35Z")
I used to use French’s mix, with some baking soda to cut the acid. Since that’s apparently not made anymore (the mix, not the baking soda), I just don’t eat them. But I miss them. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/17 "2011-02-08T16:08:24Z")
A pound of lean ground beef browned with a chopped onion, a can of Campbell’s pork-n-beans, about a tablespoon of mustard, half a cup of ketchup, and half a cup of barbecue sauce. I’m hedging on the mustard-ketchup-BBQ – I just dump in what seems about right and taste. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/18 "2011-02-08T16:44:48Z")
The old Betty Crocker recipe was onions, celery, bell pepper, ground beef, ketchup, worcestershire and a bit of hot sauce. They’re okay, but not the best. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/19 "2011-02-08T16:54:55Z")
Ketchup? That sounds obscene. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638/20 "2011-02-08T17:13:48Z")
> [@Gundy](#): > > A pound of lean ground beef browned with a chopped onion, a can of Campbell’s pork-n-beans, about a tablespoon of mustard, half a cup of ketchup, and half a cup of barbecue sauce. I’m hedging on the mustard-ketchup-BBQ – I just dump in what seems about right and taste. I wanted to admit up front that I have also made them with half Campbell’s tomato soup and half Bush’s Chili Starter (with beans), but I was worried I’d get a pile-on for being weird. You’ve brought me out of the closet! It’s actually pretty good! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloppy-joes-whats-your-recipe/570638.md?page=2)