Ground pork and beef are mixed with new ingredients like pears, sesame oil and gochujang to create this quick, easy, Korean-inspired take on the old favorite sloppy joe. The Quick Korean Pickles add a sweet crunch that rounds out the sandwich.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 seedless English cucumber or 4 small Persian or Kirby cucumbers
- About 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru Korean chili flakes or chili paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Asian pear or Bosc pear
- 1 onion, red or yellow
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger root
- Neutral oil, such as peanut or safflower
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, Lea and Perrins preferred brand
- 1/3 cup gochujang Korean paste, Mother in Law’s preferred brand
- 1 cup beef or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 to 6 soft large hamburger rolls, Big Marty’s preferred brand
- 4 scallions, whites and greens, chopped
- 2 green chilies, fresh finger or jalapeno, or pickled jalapeno peppers
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.
- For the pickles: Thinly slice the cucumber 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick. In a bowl, whisk up rice wine vinegar, sugar, chili flakes, salt and sesame oil. Add sliced cucumbers and toss.
- For sloppy joes: Peel and grate the pear on a wide tooth of box grater. Peel and chop the onion and slice or grate the garlic and ginger.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add the oil, 2 turns of the pan, then add the meats and brown and crumble. Season with salt and pepper. Add pear, onions, garlic and ginger and stir a couple of minutes to soften. Add soy sauce, Worcestershire, chili paste, stock, sugar and sesame oil. Bring to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve beef on rolls with scallions and fresh or pickled chili peppers and quick pickles.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 607 |
| Total Fat | 35 g |
| Saturated Fat | 10 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 16 g |
| Protein | 28 g |
| Cholesterol | 82 mg |
| Sodium | 1097 mg |
Reviews
Wow! Let me start by saying I used no meat. Just a mixture of brown lentils and navy beans. The sauce gave tons of flavor to the beans. This will be in the rotation of sloppy Joe recipes.
My family LOVES this recipe. I always make the pickles with it even if I’m the only one eating them because they go so well with this and cut the heat a bit. My family isn’t into super spicy thing so I cut the gochujang sauce A LOT. However my store has recently been carrying a diff brand (have never been able to find the mother in laws around here), and I add twice as much…so clearly the heat varies a lot from brand to brand. Best to cut it back and taste as you go. I always add more Worcestershire sauce but again, i just add or cut back on what we like by taste. I also use less broth or it gets too watery (and no one wants to wait an hour for it to reduce then, lol). I also adjust the heat on the pickles…I don’t add nearly as much chili flakes. But still the flavor is so unique and tasty! I find brioche buns to put them on and it’s just amazing. Another killer recipe by Rachael!
My very picky family LOVED this recipe! As a mom, I appreciate finding recipes the whole family will love and that are easy to make. Thank You!!
Fabulous. The flavors combined so well. Thanks for a new recipe for sloppy joes. It’s a favorite now.
I just tried watching 30 minute meals with this recipe and had to turn it off after a few minutes. Rachael seemed angry. She had her hair hanging down in her face and was going off in a tangent about why she cuts onions a certain way. It was awkward to watch. She seemed like she had just had an argument with someone then started filming.
We just tried these tonight & they were amazing! Definitely a keeper. I forgot to get a pair, so I use some small apples. Peeled them and graded as directed. Worked great! I didn’t have fresh jalapeños, so I used pickled ones as some other reviewers said. My husband really enjoyed that. The cucumbers are a must
Yum!!! Everyone loved these! Topped with the pickles, green onions, cilantro and pickled jalapenos.
Loved this recipe and the family did too!! The cucumber added just the right amount of crunch and I loved the freshness of the onion. Spicy, slightly sweet, and just to die for. Yum!
Absolutely delicious! My husband gave this an A++++. Sweet and spicy with the perfect amount of heat. Will make this again!
Truly great! My family loved it. A keeper recipe for sure! Thanks Rache!