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Bacon Sloppy Joes

Delicious brown sugar bacon sloppy joes are simmered in a rich, thick, full-bodied, sweet and sticky tomato sauce loaded with caramelized onion, red pepper, and bacon!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
27 mins
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Calories: 694 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • ¼- 1/2 pound Bacon diced (use thick, pre-cooked, thin or turkey bacon)
  • 1 medium sweet onion diced (or grated if you have kids who spy onions!)
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped finely (or use yellow, orange or even green)
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ - 2 pounds ground beef try ground chicken, turkey, bison, elk, or plant based protein
  • 1 heaping teaspoon smoked paprika regular is fine too
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste see notes for substitutions
  • 1 15 oz can organic tomato sauce
  • 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce  gluten free if needed
  • ¼ cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
  • 4-6 Brioche buns or hamburger buns

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. If using bacon (thin, thick or turkey bacon), in a large skillet cook the bacon on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until crisp. Remove from pan to paper-towel lined plate.
  2. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease -- if you used turkey bacon or precooked bacon, or chose not to use bacon, simply add 2 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil. Heat skillet to medium-high heat and cook onions and peppers; about 5 minutes until soft and slightly caramelized.
  3. Add minced garlic the last minute and stir until fragrant. Scoot veggies to the side, adding ground meat to skillet.
  4. Break meat apart into chunks to brown, don't break into tiny pieces, keep some larger, that will help keep the sandwich together better. Brown until almost all pink is gone. About 5-6 minutes.
  5. Add smoked paprika, tomato sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine and bring to simmer reducing heat to low. Stir occasionally uncovered, over low heat for about 5-6 minutes until the mixture thickens and reduces slightly. Return bacon to skillet with sloppy joe mixture and mix in.
  6. If desired, toast buns on griddle or pan with a little bit of butter until golden. Spoon mixture on top of buns, enjoy!

Notes

  • Increase leaner meats like turkey or chicken to 2 pounds, also increasing Worcestershire sauce to 2 tablespoons; it's a bit more bland, especially if not using bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Substitute two tablespoons of ketchup for every one tablespoon of tomato paste. Reducing brown sugar by a few teaspoons as well. OR...
  • tomato paste
  • Substitute 1 tablespoon tomato paste with 2 to 3 tablespoons tomato puree or tomato sauce (reduce liquid in recipe by 2 to 3 tablespoons); or boil tomato puree or sauce until reduced to 1 tablespoon.
  • tomato paste

Nutrition Information

Serving 11 serving Calories 694kcal (35%) Carbohydrates 47g (16%) Protein 45g (90%) Fat 36g (55%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Polyunsaturated Fat 17g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 196mg (65%) Sodium 1101mg (46%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 20g (40%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4-6 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 694

% Daily Value*

Serving 11 serving
Calories 694kcal 35%
Carbohydrates 47g 16%
Protein 45g 90%
Fat 36g 55%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Polyunsaturated Fat 17g 100%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 196mg 65%
Sodium 1101mg 46%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 20g 40%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.