What Is a Sloppy Joe? Heres the Real Answer
When it comes to comfort food, it’s hard to get more comforting than a sloppy joe. These things are delicious and they’re fun to eat. Whether you’re a kid, a grownup, or some sort of mutant hybrid grown up kind, it’s always a blast to eat this messy sandwich. It’s hard to be mad or sad when your face and lap are covered with sloppy joe mix. But where did this good time sloppy sandwich come from? What is a sloppy joe? Who invented sloppy joes? Why is it called sloppy joe? Get ready everybody, we’re about to get sloppy.
What is a sloppy joe?
A sloppy joe is a sandwich made with ground beef in a spiced tomato sauce, served on a hamburger bun. Now, don’t try to get all fancy with other ingredients or use some sort of speciality bun. The cheaper the better when it comes to sloppy joes. There is another type of sloppy joe sandwich in New Jersey made with a bunch of different deli meats, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing. We are not talking about that one. New Jersey can do its own thing. We’re talking real sloppy joes here.
Who invented sloppy joes?
With a name like sloppy joe, you just assume there’s an interesting story behind it. Why is it called sloppy joe? Well, obviously it is a sloppy sandwich, but where does the joe part come in? Probably from some guy named Joe.
It turns out there are a lot of Joes out there trying to take credit for sloppy joes. One theory is that sloppy joes were born out of the loose meat sandwiches served around Sioux City, Iowa. The story goes that in the 1930s, a cook in Sioux City named Joe added tomato sauce to a loose meat sandwich and the sloppy joe was born. Another story says that a bar owner named José García served a ropa vieja style sandwich at his bar in Havana, Cuba, and that became the sloppy joe. Still another story credits a bar and restaurant named Sloppy Joe’s over in Key West, Florida with inventing the sandwich. Whatever its origin is, Sloppy Joes were ubiquitous around American dinner tables around the 1940s.
What is in sloppy joes?
So we know that sloppy joes have ground beef and hamburger buns. But what is in sloppy joe sauce? Basically it’s tomato sauce mixed with a wide variety of other ingredients, depending on what recipe you follow. Some add Worcestershire sauce. Others mix barbecue sauce, yellow mustard, and ketchup.
The tomato sauce is usually sweetened with white sugar or brown sugar. You can also mix onions, garlic, and bell pepper in with the beef. Honestly, you can’t beat the pre-made canned stuff (like Manwich) and a pickle. Just heat that up, slop it onto a bun, throw a pickle on top, and chow down.
What to serve with sloppy joes?
Sloppy joes go great with hamburger and sandwich sides or typical cookout stuff. Chips, fries, tots, potato salad, mac and cheese. My favorite side dish to serve with sloppy joes is more sloppy joes. They are always better in pairs.
ncG1vNJzZmiroKS%2FrLHDZ5qopV%2BWv7W1wqWcaK%2BYlsFutdJmmGarnKS9scWMo6aeZw%3D%3D