Sloppy Joe’s burgers are among the most popular hamburgers in American cuisine! This Instapot version of Sloppy Joes is not only full of flavors but also hearty!
It is well known that American cuisine reflects the spirit and history of this nation and brings together many cultural influences in a world-renowned cuisine that constantly fascinates us. Even though American people have a relatively “young” history compared to other continents, all wars and revolutions influenced their gastronomy and turned it into a mix of simple, fast and indulgent dishes that bring us to the riched diner served with family, crowded restaurant, and lively cities.
Sloppy Joe’s burger is one of the famous American dishes because of its name and taste and consistency. It is very similar to a classic hamburger – it is a sandwich made from a hamburger bun that is filled with spiced minced meat (usually beef or pork) mixed with ketchup, onion and Worcestershire sauce. This famous sandwich is an authentic street food style recipe. You can find it in all the menus all over the USA, especially at the fairs and the large gathering parties that American people love so much.
This delicious dish appeared in the early 20th century and is known by many different names and variations, depending on the area: slush burger, dynamite, spoon burgers, tavern sandwich, yum yums, toasted deviled hamburgers, a hamburger a la creole, Manwich and even Spanish hamburgers or Spanish-style minced beef.
What is Sloppy Joe?
A sloppy joe is one of the most popular, accessible and appreciated American dishes that American people have always considered to be part of their cuisine. The origins of the sloppy joe recipe seem to come from Sioux City, Iowa, where in 1930 a chef named Joe added tomato sauce to his loose meat sandwiches.
As a rule, a sloppy joe can be made from ground beef with some tomato sauce and seasoned with spices and flavorings. The popularity and simplicity of this burger have prompted culinary bloggers and even famous chefs like Jamie Oliver to improvisate healthier variants of this dish with small changes suitable for those concerned with nutrition. Of course, there are also Sloppy Joe sandwiches that do not contain animal products, with vegetable protein or tofu, or a lighter version with poultry minced meat.
And because the sloppy joe hamburgers are so popular in such a huge country, it is normal that it was created so many different variants of the recipe. In Rhode Island, a similar sandwich contains, in addition to the classic ingredients peppers and celery and is called “dynamite”.
In Canada, for example, there is a variant of sloppy joe for which instead of the hamburger bun is used a hot dog bun and it is called “pain à la viande” or “pain fourré gumbo”. Also, these kinds of sandwiches are very common not only in the USA but in many other international cuisines, such as China or India.
How to make Instant Pot Sloppy Joes?
Instant pot sloppy joe is very easy to prepare and is ready in about 30 minutes. The main secret is in combing the right seasoning for the sauce!
For cooking this full of flavor dish we will use the Saute program. So, set your instant pot to this program, and pour in 3 tbsp of olive oil. When the oil heated add previously chopped one medium onion and 3 minced cloves of garlic. Leave them simmering for about 2 minutes. When you see onion light golden color add 1 pound ground beef. Brown the meat until it is no longer pink and a brown crust appears. It will take you about 10 minutes.
Now, drop in the spices – ½ tsp grounded garlic, ⅛ tsp of pepper mix, 1 tsp of smoked paprika, ½ tsp of salt (or to taste). Mix well all ingredients. Simmer one more minute and add 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, and 1/2 cup ketchup. Leave them simmering for 3 minutes and then add 1 cup of hot broth. You can use any broth you have either vegetable or regular. In case you do not have it do not be afraid to add boiled water. Gratefully to spices, you will probably not feel the difference.
Make sure you did not dry the sloppy joe mixture. Watch the sauce not to reduce too much. If needed add more liquid. Leave it simmering, stirring occasionally until the mixture is slightly liquidy, for about 5-6 minutes.
How to serve Sloppy Joes hamburger?
After resting for about 10 minutes the sloppy joe can be served. From 1 pound ground beef, you will get 6 hamburgers. I use to toast my buns before adding the filling. Also, I love to serve it with cheese and caramelized onion. So, prepare 6 hamburger buns bottoms. Top each of them with one piece of cheese (the one you love the most). Preheated the oven at 375 °F and leave buns for 3-5 minutes until the cheese melted. Remove from the oven and top them with a good amount of sloppy joe mixture. Add some caramelized onion and enjoy it with pleasure.
You can eat the hamburgers on their own or along with side dishes, like vegetable salads or potatoes.
Although it is definitely a little harder to eat than a regular hamburger, it is so delicious and easy to prepare that it is definitely worth the effort.
How to store Sloppy Joes?
It is better to store a sloppy joe mixture separate from the buns. So, palace the remaining sauce in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer up to 2-3 months. Before serving defrosted easily, heat and served together with friends and family.
Now, because this dish became so popular everywhere, big companies started producing pre-packaged sloppy joe sauce.
Tips:
- It is not necessary to greased with extra sauce the buns, as the meat sauce is sufficiently juicy and moistens the bread very well.
- If you love spice dish add 1 tsp of chili flakes or fresh hot chili papers.
- To reduce the use of carbohydrates use healthy tortillas instead of buns.
- Prepare vegetarian sloppy joe hamburger substituting meat with your favorite plant-based protein, like lentils, mushrooms, tofu or veggie patty.
Instant Pot Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes Hamburger
Equipment
- instant pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion medium
- 3 garlic cloves
- tsp ground garlic
- ⅛ tsp pepper mix
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 cup broth or water
- 6 hamburger buns
- 6 slices cheese
Instructions
- So, set your instant pot to Saute program, and pour in 3 tbsp of olive oil. When the oil is heated add previously chopped one medium onion and 3 minced cloves of garlic and leave them simmering for about 2 minutes. When you see onion light golden color add 1 pound ground beef. Brown the meat until it is no longer pink and a brown crust appears.
- Now drop in the spices - 1/2 tsp of grounded garlic, 1/8 tsp pepper mix, 1 tsp of smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp of salt. Mix well all ingredients.
- Simmer 1 more minute and add 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, and 1/2 cup ketchup. Leave them simmering for 3 minutes and add 1 cup of hot broth. Leave it simmering, stirring occasionally until the mixture is slightly liquidy, for about 5-6 minutes.
- Prepare 6 hamburger buns bottoms, top each of them with one piece of cheese (the one you love the most) and place them in a preheated oven at 375 °F for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and top them with a good amount of sloppy joe mixture.
- Add some caramelized onion and enjoy it with pleasure.
