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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.)

Ethan Mick

with Green Bean & Tomato Salad

BBQ Sloppy Joes

Ground Beef

Potato Buns

Pickle Chips

Green Beans

Garlic

Plum Tomato

Tomato Paste

Whole Grain Dijon Mustard

Shallot

Apple Cider Vinegar

Barbecue Sauce

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.

Prepare the ingredients:

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.

Blanch the green beans:

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.

Start 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.](#)

Finish the filling:

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.

Make the salad:

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!