Were you one of those kids whose mom/dad opened up canned sloppy joe sauce and “made” sloppy joes for dinner? Well, I’m proud to say that I wasn’t. What I am not proud to admit is that I have absolutely no idea how my mom made sloppy joes from scratch or what she put in it. Or maybe it was my dad who made them.  Anyway, I think maybe there was some ketchup and maybe there was some mustard. And maybe some brown sugar. Beyond that, I’m clueless. As easy of a recipe as it seems, I honestly didn’t have the first clue as to how to make sloppy joes from scratch. Now, I introduce you to Turkey Sloppy Joes. I think I’ve bought canned sloppy joe sauce once in my life, which shows how little I eat said sandwiches. Until now.

I’m assuming we used to enjoy sloppy joes in the summer because for no good reason, it seems like a summer food to me (even though there is nothing “warm weather” about standing over a stove stirring ground meat and sauce). I’m happy to say that after making these Turkey Sloppy Joes, I’m feeling confident about making them again in the future…and soon. Made with tomato sauce, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, this was everything you want in a sloppy joe – sweet, tangy, sloppy, and finger-licking. Just for kicks and giggles, try this next time you are in the mood for a sloppy mess of a sandwich.

The ingredients:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the turkey, onion, and garlic. Cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked.

In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire. Mix into the turkey mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Spoon into your favorite bun and keep some napkins nearby.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Source: Real Simple Magazine