Yeah, I’m not talking a lot of sugar, but enough to offset some of the vinegar. I just Googled, and the top three hits for me (the ones with the thumbnails) all have brown sugar in them.
Like here. This is one of the top-rated recipes. Brown sugar is in it.
Concur. There was a place at one of the malls in Des Moines when I lived there that sold loose meat sandwiches, but I didn’t eat there because they annoyed me by calling the hamburger “beefburger”.
My grade school served sloppy joes for lunch from time to time. When we make them now we use Manwich – normally Thick & Chunky, but occasioinally the Bourbon BBQ version. We usually have mash or tater tots, too, and I put the potatoes in a bowl with the meat/sauce on top.
I love sloppy Joes, though these days I just put it in a bowl. Maybe some crushed saltines are added; onions definitely are.
My friend from Merrill calls them barbecue; I was over one day and she said “how about barbecue for dinner?”. I stared outside, where it was storming heavily and said " in this weather?" Her husband, a fellow Madisonian, said “she means sloppy Joes”.
See, fellow Wisconsinites? THAT’S why you don’t call Sloppy Joe’s “barbecue”.
What if you invited someone over for barbecue, and that someone was salivating, expecting a rack of ribs, maybe pulled pork or some smoked brisket?
And you gave them ground beef instead… oh, man, not sure any of my friendships would survive that kind of let-down.
That might get a bit pricey. The big draw with Sloppy Joes is that they are cheap and easy. But adding A-1 to the sauce might give it a nice tang.
I’m a little confused. What is the advantage of cooking ground beef until all the moisture is gone and it’s been turned into pellets? (Jamie Oliver calls meat like this “gnarly,” and it is.) I think I’d rather have a nice juicy patty. Or gobs of lightly browned beef simmered in a savory sauce.
Granted, caramelization adds flavor, but really…
Use venison instead of beef.
Use sauce recipe of your choice.
Add a few dashes of your hot sauce of choice, I prefer a habanero.
Add a sprinkle of shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese.
Top with a dallop of sour cream.
All on a toasted onion bun.
Delicious.
We got a deal on some at Sam’s Club, so I don’t think it would be too bad. It is tempting to go mad scientist and try to perfect a sauce.
You talking about the loose meat sandwich? Your guess is as good as mine. But I wouldn’t describe it as dry. I just don’t get the point. I could at least understand the sloppy joe. That said, when in Rome, since I don’t get them around here, I’d certainly get another Maid Rite, just for the relative novelty. (Though we did briefly had a Maid Rite here in Chicago maybe ten years ago. I think it lasted about six months here.)
Never send a monster to do the work of an evil scientist!
Is there a reason that multiple posters are calling them “Sloppy Joe’s”?
I always think Sloppy Joe’s what when I read that. Pet peeve of mine, do carry on.
I give people the benefit of the auroincorrection doubt any more as many times as it’s fucked me.
Making a Manwich™ is a great way to use leftover meatloaf.
The American educational system? 
I remember loose meat sandwiches from Rosanne. Just about the worst name for a food I have ever heard. Multiple jokes could be made. Looking up some recipes, they are basically Sloppy Joes without tomato sauce, or a burger that has been chopped up.
Not saying they wouldn’t be good, never tried one.
It looks something like this:
As you see, at least you’ll keep you hands clean. Your face, not so much.
Thank you. I thought it was just me.
I was thinking, “this is Sloppy Joe’s thread”.
mmm
Sloppy Joe’s Sandwich of course. Sloppy Joe was the one who invented it.
I love sloppy joes. I’m surprised no one mentioned the recipe that my mom always used when I was a kid. Maybe it’s a regional thing. It was quite popular in the 60s & 70s.
1 lb ground beef - browned and drained
1 can of Campbell’s chicken gumbo soup
ketchup - not sure how much. Until the sauce turns reddish!
a couple of squirts of mustard
I’ve since modified it a little. I use:
2 lbs ground beef (leftovers for the week!)
1 can chicken gumbo soup
1 can tomato soup
ketchup
a little mustard
a little brown sugar
garlic
dried onion flakes
a couple of shakes of Worcestershire sauce
Green peppers do not belong in sloppy joes!
And I always let it cook down so it’s not too sloppy and wet. I want to be able to pick up my bun and eat, not use a fork.
Uhhh … green peppers are a mandatory ingredient in Louisiana cooking. Campbell’s doesn’t use them in its gumbo?
(I love gumbo! I keep cans of it in my pantry for a quick dinner.)