Grown Up Sloppy Joe's
December 03, 2009
GROWN UP SLOPPY
JOE'S
Now that we are in the long dark days of winter, here is
the perfect antidote to the seasonal blahs. This version of Sloppy
Joe's is much more grown-up than the stuff on your cafeteria tray in
grade school. In fact, you could even serve these as little
mini-sliders as part of your winter soiree. It's not fancy. It's not
expensive. It's the ultimate comfort food!!!
Do-ahead tip: This braised beef dish is much tastier
if made one day in advance so that the flavors really meld; and, the texture
actually improves as well.
Special equipment: A large Dutch oven or heavy
bottomed stock pot with a tight fitting lid that transfers from stove to
oven. (I used a satuese pan, with the dimensions of 14" x 3")
INGREDIENT LIST:
3 T cooking oil
3 lbs. boneless
beef chuck; trimmed of fat and silverskin; cut into scant 1/2"
cubes
1 T kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black peppercorns as desired
1 large yellow or white onion, diced
small
2 celery ribs, diced small
4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic
press
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups stock (beef or poultry- use low sodium) OR water is
just fine
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
3 T cider vinegar
3 T Worcestershire sauce
3 T hot sauce (your choice- I used Cholula brand chipotle
Mexican style)
3 T whole grain Dijon mustard
A few sprigs of fresh thyme, OR a generous pinch
of dried
2 bay leaves
1 4" piece of stick cinnamon, OR a generous pinch of
ground cinnamon (tie herbs together in a bundle with
butcher's twine for easy removal)
4 to 6 hamburger buns
unsalted butter for toasting
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
Sprinkle the cut meat with salt; toss to coat evenly. Add the salted meat
to the pan, in batches if necessary, so that the pieces of meat are in a single
layer in the pot. Sear meat, turning/stirring often, until
evenly darkly browned. Add ground black peppercorns.
Remove meat to a bowl; set aside.
Add the onion and celery to the pot. Stir mixture
frequently, and saute until onion is translucent, and the vegetables start
to caramelize, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant for
a couple of minutes. Do not brown or burn garlic.
Add the red wine, scraping up any brown bits from the
bottom of the pot. Then, add the rest of the ingredients. Add the
browned meat and any accumulated juices to the pot. At this point, you
should have enough liquid in the pot to submerge the meat (this depends
upon the size/shape of your pot). Add water or stock if necessary.
Bring mixture to a boil. Cover the pot, and place in preheated oven for 2
hours.
When done, the meat should be very tender, and the
liquid should be thick but still saucy. Serve immediately; or
better yet, cool and refrigerate overnight. Reheat gently in a pot
on the stove. The meat will start to shred a bit- perfection! Adjust
salt, pepper, and liquid to desired taste and consistency.
SERVING: (4 to 6
portions)
Butter split squishy doughy type burger buns; toast under
broiler. Spoon heaping mounds of Sloppy Joe meat onto bun. Enjoy
with some home-made coleslaw on your 'Joe, or on the side.
(Super easy slaw sauce- not my own recipe: use 3/4
cup mayo + 1/4 cup white vinegar + 1 T sugar OR agave nectar OR honey
+ a generous pinch of ground white pepper)
WINE: Young, ripe,
fruity, but uncomplicated, value Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, or
Syrah.
- Renee Kroeger
Original Recipe
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