Chefs, there’s comfort food, and then there’s the Sloppy Joe. This American classic simply calls for saucy ground beef and a soft bun. Here, to pair with the irresistible barbecue flavor in our filling, we’re adding a topping of tangy, crunchy pickle chips. A seasonal salad of green beans and tomato completes the meal with plenty of delicious freshness. (Blanching the green beans—or boiling them for a few minutes, then plunging them into ice water—helps to achieve snappy texture.)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 10 oz Ground Beef
- 2 Potato Buns
- 2 oz Pickle Chips
- 4 oz Green Beans
- 3 Garlic
- 1 Plum Tomato
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp Whole Grain Dijon Mustard
- 1 Shallot
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 c Barbecue Sauce
Instructions
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients:
Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Peel the shallot and mince to get 2 tablespoons (you may have extra); place in a bowl with the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Snap off and discard the stem ends of the green beans. Peel and mince the garlic. Core and small dice the tomato. Halve the buns.
Blanch the green beans:
Fill a medium bowl with ice water and set aside. Add the green beans to the pot of boiling water and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until bright green and slightly softened. Drain thoroughly and transfer to the bowl of ice water; let stand until completely cool. Drain thoroughly. Wipe out the pot.
Start the filling:
While the green beans cool, in the same pot, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, frequently breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
Finish the filling:
Add the tomato paste and garlic to the pot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste is dark red and fragrant. Add the barbecue sauce and 1 cup of water. Simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Make the salad:
While the filling simmers, in a large bowl, combine the blanched green beans, tomato, mustard and as much of the shallot-vinegar mixture as you’d like; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toast the buns & plate your dish:
While the filling continues to simmer, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the buns, cut sides down, and toast 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a work surface. Divide the finished filling between the toasted bun bottoms (you may have extra filling). Top with the pickle chips. Complete the sandwiches with the bun tops. Divide the sandwiches and salad between 2 dishes. Enjoy!