Sloppy Joes: The 1930s American Ground Beef Sandwich with Cuban Roots

The history of the sloppy joe is tangled. One theory traces it to 1917, when José Abeal y Otero, owner of Sloppy Joe's Bar in Havana, Cuba, created a simple sandwich of ground beef stewed in tomatoes, possibly his interpretation of ropa vieja or picadillo. The bar was frequented by Ernest Hemingway, and circa 1937, Hemingway convinced his friend Joe Russell, a bar owner in Key West, to rename his bar Sloppy Joe's, spreading the name to American shores.

Another origin story comes from Sioux City, Iowa, in the 1930s, where a cook named Joe reportedly added tomato sauce to loose meat sandwiches, creating the messy, saucy creation that became a school cafeteria and diner staple. By the 1940s, recipes for the sandwich began appearing in American cookbooks under various names, from Toasted Deviled Hamburgers to Spanish Hamburgers. By the 1960s, the name sloppy joe had stuck, and companies like Hunt's and Manwich began selling the sauce in cans.

About the Ingredients: The ground beef should be 80/20, lean enough to avoid greasiness but with enough fat for flavor. The sauce is built on a base of ketchup or tomato sauce, with Worcestershire, mustard, and brown sugar providing depth. Onions and green bell pepper are sautéed first to create the aromatic base. The bun should be a soft hamburger bun, sturdy enough to hold the filling but soft enough to bite through easily.

Ingredients (serves 6): - 1½ lb ground beef (80/20) - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced - 1 green bell pepper, finely diced - 3 garlic cloves, minced - 1 cup ketchup - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce - 1 tablespoon Dijon or yellow mustard - 2 tablespoons brown sugar - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar - ½ teaspoon garlic powder - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika - Salt and freshly ground black pepper - 6 hamburger buns, split and toasted - Butter for toasting buns - Dill pickle slices for serving

Instructions: In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the ground beef. Cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Drain the excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and green bell pepper to the beef. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Stir in the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and clings to the meat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the mixture simmers, butter the cut sides of the hamburger buns and toast them in a skillet over medium heat until golden. To serve, spoon a generous portion of the meat mixture onto the bottom half of each bun. Top with dill pickle slices and the top half of the bun. Serve immediately, with napkins.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: The sweet, tangy tomato-based sauce of the sloppy joe calls for a mimosa with bright citrus and a touch of sweetness. The Classic Champagne Mimosa is the ideal match, its orange providing a clean contrast to the tomato. For a more playful pairing, the Strawberry Mimosa adds a berry sweetness that echoes the brown sugar in the sauce.

Reference Links: - Sloppy Joe – Wikipedia - Sloppy Joes Recipe – Allrecipes

Make-Ahead: The meat mixture can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, and the flavors improve overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if it has thickened too much. Toast the buns at the last minute, as they soften quickly under the warm filling.

Pro Tips: Do not drain all the fat from the beef. Leaving a tablespoon or two gives the sauce richness and helps the flavors meld. The simmering time is what transforms the mixture from loose ground beef in sauce into a cohesive, thick filling. Fifteen minutes is the minimum, but 25 minutes is better. If the mixture is too thin after simmering, raise the heat and cook for a few more minutes until it reduces. If it is too thick, add a tablespoon of water.