Hawaiian Sloppy Joes

A Super Bowl Favorite-Sloppy Joes

This Hawaiian Sloppy Joe recipe is not only delicious but one of the easiest and least expensive recipes you can make for a crowd! You can also prep the meat filling ahead of time and either keep warm in the crockpot or simply warm up on the stove when ready to serve. You can also freeze it in advance for instant heat and eat dinners! Eazy peazy! Adding pineapple to a BBQ Sloppy Joe mixture was something new for me. Absolutely loved the taste. 

This recipe can be made in a crockpot or kept warm in it until serving. 

Cook's Notes:
There are a few conflicting stories about where the Sloppy Joe originated, but it is widely believed to have been made by a cook named Joe in Sioux City, Iowa in 1930. Joe added tomato sauce to a loose meat sandwich and the Sloppy Joe was born. What everyone does agree on, however, is that Sloppy Joes are SLOPPY! Just try and eat a Sloppy Joe without any of the filling spilling out!

The recipe makes enough for 10 Hawaiian-size Slider buns and was adapted from carlsbadcravings.com  I halved her original recipe and found it perfect for a 2-person household. My recipe ingredients are below. 

Ingredients:

• 10 Hawaiian-size Slider buns 
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 3/4 cup chopped sweet onions 
• 3 garlic cloves minced 
• 1 cup celery, diced

HAWAIIAN BBQ SAUCE

• 1/2 of an 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple (in 100% juice) NOT DRAINED
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons molasses 
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon each of chili powder and salt
• 1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger, smoked paprika, pepper
• Hot sauce to taste

Directions: 

• Brown hamburger, celery, and onions together in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up any clumps. Add garlic and cook for 30 additional seconds. Drain any excess fat. Wipe the pan clean. Add meat, celery, onions, and garlic back to the pan. 
• Combine all the ingredients for remaining Hawaiian BBQ Sauce ingredients and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer then reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add additional cider vinegar for tangier or more brown sugar for sweeter if desired.
• Serve on Hawaiian sandwich buns or traditional hamburger buns. Enjoy!

Closing the evening out with a lovely Arizona sunset (not edited)