Name: Slow-Cooker Sloppy Joes
Total time: 3 h
Ingredients: 2 slices hearty white sandwich bread , torn into 1-inch pieces; 1/4 cup whole milk; Salt and pepper; 2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 onions , chopped fine; 4 garlic cloves , minced; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce; 1 cup ketchup; 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce; 8 hamburger buns

Why This Recipe Works

Since the texture of the meat is important when it comes to Sloppy Joes, we found it necessary to get out our skillet and brown the beef before adding it to the slow cooker; this simple step ensured small but consistent pieces of tender ground beef. We used a combination of ketchup and canned tomato sauce to give our sandwiches the right combination of gentle sweetness and strong tomato flavor; a bit of brown sugar, chili powder, and hot sauce kept the sauce balanced. We limited the amount of ketchup and tomato sauce to only 2 cups; this way the meat was moist and saucy but still able to fit on a bun.

Before You Begin

This recipe can easily be doubled.

Instructions

1. Mash bread, milk, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper into paste in large bowl using fork. Add ground beef and knead with hands until well combined.

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook until softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add half of beef mixture and cook, breaking up beef with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ground beef and continue to cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.

Stir ketchup, sugar, and hot sauce into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 3 to 4 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high.

Using large spoon, skim fat from surface of sauce. Break up any remaining large pieces of beef with spoon. Adjust consistency with hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture onto buns and serve.