Kaltenbach Farm’s Zesty Sloppy Joes are a family favorite and perfect for a crowd. Think game day, birthday party, or any casual event. And they shine in the summer at an outdoor get-together when no one wants to man the grill.
Kaltenbach Farm’s Zesty Sloppy Joes
This is a larger batch recipe and takes a bit of time to simmer and develop the flavors – it’s easy with very little prep work and uses everyday ingredients, but plan on about an hour and a half of time. And no worries if it’s just you and the family. I make it all the time and stash some in the freezer for busy nights.
About Kaltenbach Farm’s Zesty Sloppy Joes:
In the 90’s, I had a big old cookbook that was a compilation of recipes from Bed & Breakfasts around the States, and these Sloppy Joes came from the Kaltenbach Farm B & B in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. Thanks to them, we have enjoyed these Zesty Sloppy Joes for decades.
While these are zesty, and they are, they aren’t “spicy” and should go over well for all ages. My kids have eaten this from the time they were toddlers, yet adults never find them boring. If you want more spice, see below.
I always make these for Christmas Eve, continuing a tradition my mother started years ago. Growing up in Iowa, we called any loose-meat sandwich a Maid Rite, much like every tissue was a Kleenex. Mom’s version used Gumbo Soup, and because so many readers ask about that old recipe, I’ve shared it here: Maid Rites (made on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot).
Making Kaltenbach Farm’s Zesty Sloppy Joes:
The recipe can be cut in half, but as I mentioned, I often freeze it in meal-sized portions. It’s a fabulous “emergency” dinner “save” to toss in the microwave right from the freezer when time is short, and the kids are near to wilting away right before your eyes if not fed immediately!
If I’m serving only adults, sometimes I add just a little more chili powder and a touch of cayenne. As you’re cooking, you can taste and adjust seasonings. A spicing hint: chili powder morphs a little and needs some time to mellow. Taste after it’s been in the pot for a few minutes. Most Sloppy Joes have a sweet element. Adjust to your liking.
I always use mustard powder, and I use it in a lot of recipes. Sometimes in recipes like this one, and often in salad dressings along with salads like egg salad or potato salad. It’s one of those old-fashioned flavor boosters that’s been around forever, but doesn’t have the specific flavor of Dijon. The powder and a squirt of ballpark mustard combine in this recipe to add a little zip.
There are two things you might find surprising in this recipe.
- There are two cans of tomato soup (I recommend Campbells but any will do), and it’s kind of magical here. It gives a more rounded flavor than a canned tomato sauce. It was in the original Kaltenbach Farms recipe.
- The other one might need a little trust. On a whim, I was thinking of my Slow Cooker Bolognese Spaghetti Sauce, and tossed in a half cup of milk at the end. It takes any harsher notes away and slightly softens the beef, making it feel like it simmered away all day. Do it (it’s optional in the recipe), and no one will ever guess why these are the best Sloppy Joes they’ve ever had.
Serving the Sloppy Joes:
Try cutting “dinner” rolls in half rather than using plain old grocery store buns. They’re a little sturdier (and sometimes less expensive) and hold up well when loaded with the sloppy joes. You can buy them in larger sizes, but smaller buns are ideal for sliders.
Scoops aren’t just for the cafeteria anymore! If you bake, you probably already have one tucked away in a drawer. They’re perfect for portioning without making a mess.
Add dill pickles and (surprise) thinly sliced red or white onion for some crunch. And coleslaw and/or potato salad make great summer sides, but chips are never wrong!
Best Creamy Coleslaw
Leftovers:
Store in the fridge uncovered until cool, then cover. This keeps well for a week. Reheat in a saucepan (you may need to add just a touch of liquid) or in the microwave (cover loosely) in larger or individual portions.
Freezes well for up to six months (or longer in a deep freeze). Thaw overnight in the fridge or defrost in the microwave. Reheat as above.
Winning at the Grocery:
The secret isn’t always where you shop, it’s when. Do take advantage of discount stores like Aldi and Lidl, and shop selectively at your buyers’ club. Shop ethnic markets if you have them and watch grocery sales. But that’s not the full picture.
Most ingredients have predictable sales cycles. Learning those patterns can make a bigger impact on your grocery budget than chasing sales and coupons alone.
I try to buy ingredients at their best value and keep enough on hand to avoid paying top price later. It’s a simple idea, but it has saved me far more than any coupon alone ever did.
Learn more in my Winning at the Grocery series. Here’s how it plays out in my kitchen with this recipe. I was digging through my pantry, and it seemed there was a lot of tomato soup. I always have sale-priced ground beef in the freezer, and behind the scenes, the other ingredients, all bought at a low price over time, were just waiting their turn.
Most of the savings didn’t happen when I made the recipe. They happened over weeks and months before. One smart purchase doesn’t change much. Do it over and over, and eventually an entire meal is built from ingredients bought at a discount. And that’s freedom.
Kaltenbach Farm’s Zesty Sloppy Joes
Kaltenbach Farm’s Zesty Sloppy Joes
Slowly cooked, rich and just a little zesty, this is a family favorite.
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 20 to 25 servings 1x
- Category: main dish ground beef
Ingredients
- 4 pounds ground beef
or turkey (or combination) - 2 onions, minced
- 2 green peppers, minced
- 2 carrots, grated
- 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- salt to taste
- 1/2 cup milk, optional
Instructions
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain thoroughly.
Return ground beef to pan, add green pepper, the tomato sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ground mustard, chili powder, and garlic salt.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, leaving lid slightly ajar and simmer very slowly for one hour, stirring occasionally, especially towards the end. Sloppy Joes are finished when this becomes one cohesive mixture with no juices separating out.
If desired, once finished, add 1/2 cup of milk and slowly reduce until the mixture is again cohesive with no juices separating out.
Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve on buns with dill pickles.
- Feel free to omit milk.
- Adjust spices and seasoning to your taste.
- Up the heat level if serving adults. More chili powder, a bit of cayenne, perhaps some hot sauce or jalapeno juice. Hot peppers may be added with the Bell Peppers.
- If you’re adventurous, a glug or two of beer gives an interesting flavor.
Nutritional Information:
Sloppy Joe, only, per serving, based on 25, made with ground beef:
cal 187; tot fat 10g; sat fat 6g; chol 64mg; sod 357mg; pot 219mg; carb 12g; fib 1g; sug 9g; prot 16g; vit A 28%; vit C 19%; calc 4%; iron 11%
Just for fun, nutritional information on a premade beef patty:
cal 209; tot fat 14g; sat fat 5.1g; chol 73mg; sod 71 mg; pot 284mg; carb 0g; fib 0g; sug 0g; prot 20g; vit A 0%; vit C 0%; calc 2%; iron 12%
Did you know a potato masher makes short work of breaking down hamburger or ground beef as it fries? It also mashes Avocado perfectly for Guacamole. Breaks down apples for applesauce or other chunky fruit. Makes excellent crash potatoes, too.
Scoops perfectly portion – which really helps when you have those in your family that just go crazy on stuff.
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