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Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

🧅🍅🧀 The perfect combination of sweet, tangy, optional spiciness, and so juicy! Whether you want to prep them before work for an easy weeknight dinner that’s waiting, serve them at a summer holiday party, or for tailgating or a game day event, they’re a classic family FAVORITE recipe and so EASY! (Stovetop directions also provided.)

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 307 kcal
Course: Dinner

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef 85 to 93% lean recommended*
  • 1 pound pork sausage*
  • ½ cup onion chopped
  • 3 to 5 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 small green bell pepper seeded and diced small (red bell pepper may be substituted)
  • 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup barbecue sauce
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard Dijon may be substituted
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons canned pickled jalapeño peppers optional for spiciness
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided or as desired*
  • hamburger buns Texas toast, hotdog buns, etc., for serving

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. To a large skillet, add the ground beef, sausage if using, and saute over medium-high heat until the proteins are no longer pink and are cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Crumble and stir while sautéing to ensure even cooking. If desired or if there is a lot, you can drain off any grease.
  2. Add the onions, peppers, and saute for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened; stir frequently.
  3. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir constantly.
  4. Stovetop - At this point if you want to continue making this on the stove, keep going by adding the remaining ingredients, except the cheese, simmer for 10 minutes, and then stir in to melt it.
  5. OR to make in a Slow Cooker transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to a large 7 to 8-quart slow cooker (spray the bottom with cooking spray for easier cleanup), add the tomato sauce, ketchup, your favorite barbecue sauce, light brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, optional jalapeños, stir to combine, cover with the lid, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6 hours.
  6. You can either stir in about 1 cup of cheese right into the meat mixture until it melts, plus top each sandwich with a bit more cheese if desired. OR you can skip stirring the cheese in and only sprinkle it on top. Your choice - first way is much cheesier than the second.
  7. Serve on top of your favorite carb such as a hamburger bun, hot dog bun, Hawaiian roll, Kaiser roll, Texas toast, or go low-card and serve like a lettuce wrap in butter lettuce or Romaine lettuce leaves.
  8. The recipe will make about 16 smaller sandwiches or 8 larger ones. Extra sloppy Joes meat will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Reheat gently on the stove, microwave, or in the slow cooker before serving.

Notes

  • *Feel free to select from whatever singular protein or combination thereof that you desire including the following:
  • Tip: I do not recommend using exclusively ground turkey or ground chicken because they are very lean. However, if you are determined to go this route, when you’re browning the protein, you’ll need to add 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil or they’ll dry out.
  • **I always recommend grating your own cheese from a block rather than buy shredded cheese in a bag because bagged cheese is more resistant to smooth and even melting.
  • Exclusively 2 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef + 1 pound ground pork sausage
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef + 1 pound ground turkey or chicken

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 307kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 17g (6%) Protein 21g (42%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 9g Cholesterol 73mg (24%) Sodium 789mg (33%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 10g (20%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 307

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 307kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 17g 6%
Protein 21g 42%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 9g 53%
Cholesterol 73mg 24%
Sodium 789mg 33%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 10g 20%

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