Sloppy Josephines
I know, sloppy joes don’t really seem like they’re my style. I like comfort food as much as the next gal, but I didn’t grow up with cans of Manwich served on potato rolls. My mom certainly never made homemade sloppy joes and I never went to a school with typical cafeteria food. All of this added together meant I never encountered a sloppy joe in the wild, only heard of them in pop culture references. My husband, on the other hand, did grow up devouring these saucy, sloppy sandwiches. Of course, I had to Jillian-ify them...hence the name change. Sloppy Josephines don’t come from a can, they are lovingly prepared at home. Instead of ground beef, I’ve lightened up an already rich tasting meal by using ground turkey. The sauce has no corn syrup, no weird thickeners, no artificial flavors, just organic ketchup and barbecue sauce. I’ve added some veggies and bone broth that blend in seamlessly and give it a bit more lightness and nutrients. All in all, we’ve given them a makeover and I happen to think they are delightful! I like mine served “poutine” style with sweet potato fries on the bottom and melted pepper jack cheese on top, while my kids prefer them straight on the bun, no embellishments needed. How will you take yours?
Ingredients:
Makes 8 servings
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced small
1 bell pepper, diced small
2 pounds ground turkey (or beef, if preferred)
2 teaspoons salt
pepper to taste
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup ketchup (we use 365 Organic Ketchup)
½ cup barbecue sauce (we love Date Lady, but you can use your fav!)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons grainy mustard
1 cup bone broth
Directions:
Heat a wide skillet or medium heat. Melt the butter and add the onions and bell pepper. Stir them from time to time as they caramelize and soften. When they are starting to show some browning, push them to the side of the pan and put the ground turkey in the center of the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat while it browns. This will add a depth of flavor. When the meat is browned and broken into crumbles, add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, ketchup, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, mustard, and bone broth over top. Give it a good stir and put the lid on. Lower the heat to low and let it simmer for about 25 minutes. Remove the lid and sprinkle the arrowroot powder over top and stir it through. Leave the lid off and bump the heat back up to medium. Stir every little bit for about 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens up. It’s ready to serve! Assemble a sandwich or poutine bowl, however you’d like!
