Sloppy Joes were for me were always one of the most unappetizing things that American cuisine can offer. Just look at them. Mushy cooked beef with store bought condiments. You plop them over cheap, additive-enriched bread, which will be with the human race long after we are gone. How could you even consider eating it? Right?
There is always a first time. The moments that change your perspective on the world and things evolving around it. There is the first taste of cake when you realize this world is not that bad (well, except the parents who limit it 😉 ), a kiss where you realize you want more, there is the first moment when you realize it is time to try something scary. Watching YouTube videos of bungee jumping or getting bitten by a raccoon might inspire you to try similar activities, but in my case it was one of Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution”. In one episode he makes some sloppy joes for the kids. He talks about it as a childhood classic that kids and adults love. I put aside all my negative feelings about this meal and decided to try it. This was my brave moment!
Why espresso? Well first of all I am a coffee junky. I love everything around coffee and that includes experimenting. The truth is, coffee loves beef and beef loves coffee. I noticed this before in making goulash and other beefy meals. But you have to be careful, and pull the espresso the right way. You should not use “charcoal” a la Starbucks and Peets. This requires medium roast, maximum full city +. Why? Because you do not want to make the beef bitter, but you want to enhance the depth of the beef and have a slight coffee aroma on the end of the taste palate. Also, you have to make sure that you add the coffee when the sloppy joes are done but still hot. We want to some of the liquid to evaporate, but not for the coffee to cook, because it becomes bitter.
I use 96/4 beef and full city roasted coffee from nice coffee companies like Equator Coffee and Tea, Sightglass, Four Barrel, Blue Bottle or other non-charcoal company. If you want to be totally cool like me, you roast your own and get green beans from Sweet Maria’s ;). If you don’t have access to espresso, just leave it out. The BBQ sauce is also up to you, pick your poison. Make sure it will not overpower the beef, you just want it to add a little sweetness and smokiness. I do not use sugar, I prefer to use sweet onions and caramelize things. This way you get a different but more natural sweetness. And ketchup and BBQ sauce have sugar anyway.
- 1 lb. ground beef
- Oil spray
- 1 strip apple smoked bacon
- 1 onion – Hawaiian sweet rocks!
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- 1tsp salt (or more)
- pepper to taste
- 1 28-ounce (large) can of tomatoes
- 2-3 tbs BBQ sauce
- 3-4 tbs ketchup
- double shot of espresso (optional)
- hamburger buns
- sandwich pickle or sweet and sour pickle
- more of that amazing ONION
- Spray a hot cast iron pan with oil and add the bacon.
- After some bacon fry action, add the onion.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add garlic just before you add the can of tomatoes. Poke the tomatoes and separate them a bit.
- Add ketchup and barbeque sauce.
- Cook covered for 10 minutes on low heat.
- Uncover and cook off the liquid. Make sure you do not burn it.
- Once you’re happy with the consistency, remove the pot from heat and wait 5 min. Prepare a double shot of espresso and add it to the mixture.
- Toast some buns and assemble the masterpiece. Do not forget to add a pickle and some raw onions. Enjoy at least as much as I did!
- I use 96/4 beef and full city roasted coffee from nice coffee companies like Equator Coffee and Tea, Sightglass, Four Barrel, Blue Bottle or other non-charcoal company. If you want to be totally cool like me, you roast your own and get green beans from Sweet Maria’s ;). If you don’t have access to espresso, just leave it out. The BBQ sauce is also up to you, pick your poison. Make sure it will not overpower the beef, you just want it to add a little sweetness and smokiness. I do not use sugar, I prefer to use sweet onions and caramelize things. This way you get a different but more natural sweetness. And ketchup and BBQ sauce have sugar anyway.
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