Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

by Hayley Dean
Star 3.6
    5m prep time
    200m total time
    Easy level
    13 ingredients

These melt-in-the-mouth buns are filled with a thick, rich meat sauce, similar to a Bolognese, but sweetened with a little barbecue sauce. When you’re having a get together, they’re a great thing to serve up to a crowd – prepare a selection of toppings and then leave your guests to add their own favourites. They do have the word ‘sloppy’ in their name, so remember to tuck in your napkin!

Method

Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.

Step 1

Season the beef mince with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Optional – If it has one, set the slow cooker to ‘fry’ mode (or use a frying pan on the hob for this stage). Add the beef mince to the pot of the slow cooker or frying pan and, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. (You can skip this stage, but searing the beef mince does help to lock in the flavour.)

Step 3

Put the chopped onion, diced pepper and chopped tomatoes in the pot of the slow cooker along with the mince. Stir in the barbecue sauce until well combined. Cover the pot with the lid.

Step 4

Set the slow cooker to ‘cook’ mode, then turn it either to high and cook for 3 hours or to low and cook for 6 hours. (If you need to, the beef mixture can be left on low for up to 10 hours.)

Step 5

When ready to serve, turn the slow cooker to high and cook, with the lid off, for a final 5–10 minutes to thicken up the sauce a little.

Step 6

Split open the baps, then spoon the mince onto the bun bases. Top with a pile of grated cheese, or a cheese slice. Encourage everyone to customise their Sloppy Joe with their choice of toppings (pickles, jalapenos, crispy onions, mustard or ketchup), then squish the bun lid on top and enjoy!
  • Ingredients
  • Based on 4 servings
  • 500g Beef Mince, 5% fat 1 x Sainsbury's British or Irish 5% Fat Beef Mince 500g
  • 1 Onion, finely chopped 1 x Sainsbury's Onions Loose
  • 250g Chopped Tomatoes 1 x Sainsbury's Chopped Tomatoes Can 400g
  • 4 White Baps 1 x Sainsbury's Large Soft White Rolls x4
  • 4 tbsp Crispy Onions 1 x Top Taste Crispy Onions 100g
  • 100g Cheddar, grated, or sliced cheese 1 x Sainsbury's British Mature Grated Cheddar Cheese 250g
  • Maldon Salt, to taste 1 x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g
  • 4 tbsp Tomato Ketchup 1 x Heinz Tomato Ketchup 342g
  • 4 tbsp Sliced Gherkins 1 x Mrs Elswood Burger Gherkins Pickled 670g
  • 8 Sliced Jalapeños 1 x Sainsbury's Sliced Jalapenos, Inspired to Cook 200g (90g*)
  • 1 Pepper, diced (red or yellow) 1 x Sainsbury's Red Pepper
  • 2tbsp Barbecue Sauce 1 x Sainsbury's BBQ Sauce 500g
  • 4 tbsp Yellow Mustard 1 x French's Classic Yellow Mustard 226g
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