Sloppy Joes are loose meat sandwiches which are mainly popular in America. These sandwiches are liked by people of all ages. They are known by different names in many parts of US. These loose meat sandwiches are also called wimpies, slash burgers, dynamites and even yipyips. Majorly confined to US, the name Sloppy Joe is related to its messy eating experience.
Sloppy Joes have a sweet, spicy and tangy flavor.
Origin Of Sloppy Joe
There are many theories related to origin of sloppy Joes. According to one of them the origin of sloppy Joes is said to be in an old Havana bar in Cuba. Since the bar was called Sloppy Joe, these sandwiches which were made there from ground beef also got the same name.
The other theory relates these sandwiches to World War II. During the World War II, the beef was sold at subsidized prices and thus people found out this new recipe of mincing ground beef and mixing it with different sauces to make burgers, also known as sloppy Joes.
The origin of sloppy Joes is still not verified.
Ingredients Used In a Sloppy Joe Recipe
Sloppy Joes contain similar ingredients, though there can be slight variations in a sloppy Joe recipe. These sloppy Joes consist of ground beef, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and various spices combined, and all together then placed in a burger bun. The spices used in the sandwich are brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, black pepper, and ketchup.
Though any meat can be used for making it, beef is mostly used because of its rich flavor. Also, a pinch of cumin, oregano and paprika when added to sloppy Joes, enhances its flavor.
Prescribed Way of Making A Sloppy Joe
A sloppy Joe is made by heating and browning crumbled ground beef. A sauce is prepared by combining ketchup or tomatoes with water, dried bell pepper, salt, pepper and oregano. Onions are added to the browned meat and cooked and then sauce is added and the mixture is left on the stove for a while. The meat with sauce is used as a filling between hamburger buns and relished.
Variations in Sloppy Joe Recipe
A sloppy Joe recipe can be easily altered as per the taste. Some variations in the recipe are using garlic while cooking the meat; not using onions and using more spices to bring out the flavors of these sandwiches. A sloppy Joe made of turkey also tastes well. Tasty casseroles can also be made with them. Dallas style sloppy Joes, Ruby Drive sloppy Joes, and cabbage sloppy Joes are some of the popular variations in sloppy Joe recipe.
Serving a Sloppy Joe
Sloppy Joes are snacking foods which pair well with green bean salads and potato chips. However, they can also be served as finger foods when made with small buns and also as topping on garlic bread and cheese sandwiches.
Nutritional Value in Sloppy Joe Recipe
The nutrition in a Sloppy Joe often depends on the quality of its components. An average serving of this sandwich has approximately 250calories, 16 grams of fat, and almost 60 mg of cholesterol. Half cup of beef and sauce makes one serving.
For lowering the calorie content, diced vegetables can be added. This improves the texture and nutrition of sloppy Joe recipe. Shredded cheddar cheese also adds to its nutrition.
Trivia- Sloppy Joe
The name sloppy Joe has many stories associated with it. For some, the name is derived after a person named Joe who ate this burger in a messy way. While same say Joe was the name of the cook who worked in Floyd Angell's restaurants, and it was he who developed this amazing recipe.
A sauce used in filling for sloppy Joes was made by the company Hunt’s in 1969. The manufacturing of this sauce, using all its basic ingredients, made the sandwich recipe easier and even more economical. This sauce is called Manwich sloppy Joe sauce.