My family’s favorite Sloppy Joe recipe is based on one from the Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cook Book
Sloppy Joe recipe
Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
4 pounds ground beef
14 oz ketchup (can use homemade/lacto-fermented)
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar or rapidura
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 teaspoon Lawry’s Salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Directions
Saute onion in butter. Add ground beef; brown lightly. Drain off excess fat. Add rest of ingredients and simmer covered 30 minutes. Use to fill 30 to 40 hamburger buns.
To serve the sloppy Joes, I make homemade buns using a recipe that is very similar to my mom’s favorite bread recipe. This variation is sized to fit in a bread machine, so if you have a bread machine you may use it to mix up the dough without worrying that it will overflow as it rises. I normally use my Bosch Universal Plus Kitchen Machine
Hamburger Bun Dough
1 egg plus enough water to equal 1 1/3 cups
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar (Could use honey instead, but the dough will be more sticky)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups bread flour (I used half organic white bread flour and half fresh ground hard white winter wheat. You could use 100% whole wheat, but the dough will be heavier.)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast or 1 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
Place all ingredients in mixer or bread machine and mix for 6-8 minutes, until ingredients are well mixed and gluten has had a chance to develop. If mixing by hand, blend all ingredients except flour. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. (You may need to adjust the amount of flour based on humidity conditions.) When dough is stiff enough to mix by hand, dump onto a well-floured counter and knead for 5-10 minutes.
A double batch covers the bottom of the Bosch.
Cover and let rise for 20 minutes. Punch down dough, let rise until double in size. This batch got a little past double, but that’s okay.
Divide dough into desired number of buns and loaves and shape accordingly. Remember, the bread will rise again and double in size. Cover with a clean dish cloth and place in a warm location until it doubles in size. Note: I line my baking pans with super parchment
Here’s the bread ready to go in the oven. Notice the size change.
Bake buns around 15 minutes at 350 degrees F, until lightly browned. Bake bread at 350 degrees F for around 30 minutes.
Cool on wire rack before slicing (if you can wait that long). Cutting hot bread will allow steam to escape and dry out the loaf of bread, but sometimes they disappear so fast it doesn’t really matter.
And that’s all there’s to it. I usually start the bread in the early afternoon and it’s done by supper time. My boys are old enough to make the meat by themselves (this is a good recipe to introduce kids to cooking). With the bread machine or mixer I can multi-task more easily, but it’s not that much more work to do it by hand if needed.
What are your family’s favorite recipes? How do you get your kids to cook?
That's the cookbook that taught me how to cook! I worked my way through it when I was first married. I still refer to it for several favorite recipes like baked custard or cornbread. Love it
I.MUST.GET.A.BOSCH.
I have been wanting one of these for a long while…wish they weren't so dang costly!
I think my bun recipe is very similar..so good!
Sloppy joes sound real nice for dinner this week…something that doesn't take too much effort after the holiday!
That looks wonderful! Especially with the homemade rolls. I have that cookbook, it was a favorite of my Mom's as well. Swiss Steak that was in there, was always our family favorite.
Any of you know how to repair the binding on an old book? I tried once to repair my copy of the Betty Crocker cook book, but the cover is falling apart again. It's well loved.
Cyn – I decided to get the Bosch after burning out my third bread machine. It's pricey, but it handles the whole wheat breads and sourdoughs MUCH better than my old machines. (It's still functioning.)
Brigid – I should have known you would have that cook book. Lots of old fashioned comfort food.
Thanks for helping me plan my menu this week. I usually look for ideas on Sunday nights, but was too tired, so with all of the Easter leftovers, I'm good for a couple of days
My boys (17,15,11) take turns with meals, so I get at least a couple of nights "off". The kitchen is fun when they cook together!
The buns look good. My daughter likes to cook but my boys don't show much interest. With that said, I'm teaching my 17 year old teenager to do some cooking since he is almost ready to go to college. I don't want him to find excuses to buy junk, sigh, he probably will buy some anyway but at least I feel better knowing I taught him about food and nutrition..
Allison – wonderful that your boys cook regularly! My guys are still a "work in progress", although I do get them cooking more in the summer when I'm working in the garden. I'll send the oldest in to start supper while I'm finishing chores with the younger one.
Jo – yes, chances are he will likely eat some junk, but since he was raised eating real food he probably won't like the taste. I know the boys prefer "home food" options compared to "store food".
I think I know what's for dinner tonight!
Good luck! I hope it turns out well.
Okay, So I tried the bun recipe this evening and they came out great!! Thanks so much for sharing. Now I have a go to bun recipe that is quick and easy. I just placed all my ingredients in my sunbeam breadmaker on dough and shaped it when it was done and let it rise again with a damp cloth before putting it into the oven. I use to be so intimidated by bread till I got my wondermill.
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know. I grew up making baked goods with my mom, but when I was a new bride (oh my – nearly 17 years ago now!), I had a hard time getting them as good as I remember my mom's tasting. Between the grain mill and the bread machine (and now my Bosch), it is so much easier!
Pingback: Potato Bread Recipe Using Leftover Mashed PotatoesCommon Sense Homesteading