a chili sauce from Tunisia called harissa. Depending on the brand and/or recipe, the heat level can change. (Considering that you can always add more, think about adding less than 3/4 cup.) Look for a bottled harissa that has hardly any additional sugar.
| Prep Time: | 10 mins |
| Cook Time: | 45 mins |
| Total Time: | 55 mins |
| Servings: | 4 |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 hamburger buns, split
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the ground beef, onion, and green pepper. Cook until beef is browned, and drain off excess grease. Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup and mustard, and season with cloves and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes on low. Serve on hamburger buns.
- If you double the recipe, you do not need to increase the vinegar.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 429 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 47 g |
| Cholesterol | 69 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 25 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Sodium | 1648 mg |
| Sugars | 20 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
Great recipe! This is the first allrecipes recipe I’ve ever tried. I add only 1/4 tsp of cloves, a dash of worcestershire sauce and a pinch of cayenne pepper. I’ve made the original recipe and it tastes fantastic as well. I just add the other ingredients because my boys love these particular ingredients. Thanks for the recipe!
if you don’t try it with cloves you’re missing the point of this one. I raised on this recipe for Sloppy Joes! Just use more or less clove powder … and if yours has been on the shelf for a long time that’s okay. Adjust up or down a bit. Do give it a try!
Nice classic recipe. So easy and great as leftovers. Thanks to Grandma!
Splendid recipe! I am grateful your grandma shared it! I have my own family recipe that I have used for years but every once in awhile I want to switch it up. This was perfect. Someone said use allspice if you don’t have ground cloves. another reviewer said reduce it to quarter teaspoon. I didn’t think I had ground cloves so I put quarter teaspoon of allspice in the sauce ingredients which I mix all together before adding to the ground beef mixture. took a sample and really couldn’t taste it then I found I really did have ground cloves and added 1/4 teaspoon of those. didn’t find it overbearing at all! overall it is a great recipe and I will make it again! Next time I will use all ground cloves instead of mixing the allspice with the ground cloves.
Perfect recipe, my family loves it!
DONT ADD THE CLOVES
This was very good and very easy to make. I thought the cloves added a nice flavor, but would probably do a little less next time. Definitely a keeper!
I used half ground turkey instead of all ground beef. Was excellent!!
As a cook who loves rich flavors I rate this 5 stars especially because of the cloves. If it’s too sweet for some Cooks try adding a cinnamon stick into your mixture which tamps down the sweetness a little bit. As a nurse who runs all day I seriously enjoy smelling and tasting this — in our break room– especially on a cold dreary day, when I finally get time to sit down for a meal. Great job on this recipe which brings a flavor party to my mouth!!
This is the best sloppy Joe recipe ever. Don’t alter anything. I have doubled, tripled and quadrupled it. Always comes out great. Thanks!
Easy to make and smells great while cooking! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
granny got it right…….added a dash of garlic & cayenne…….really good w/chips & home made onion dip…………
Made it per directions. We were not in love with the flavors. It might be the cloves or could just be the ketchup. It was alright but I’m still looking for a good Sloppy Joe recipe.
I loved the addition of cloves. It’s also really important to use the vinegar. Your grandma was right!
Used Manwich, powdered mixes, made my own so many decades ago!!! Got a hankering for sloppy joes & this was excellent. Used red bell pepper as didn’t have green & tomato sauce instead of ketchup. VERY GOOD & so easy!!!
I’ve been making this for years. The only difference is my recipe calls for 1/4 tsp. of ground clove and I add 1 1/2 tsp. of liquid smoke. YUM!
Delicious and easy!
I have made his recipe many times by now and am really happy with it! I make it as written with one change, I only use 1/4 tsp. clove per pound of beef. I make this for my large family with a wide variety of taste buds and everyone loves it, so it is an absolute winner for me!!
Tried; GOOD; I do not personally like the vinegar taste but, my hubby loves it. I will make again, but will alternate between this recipe and another that I prefer which is made with pickle relish.
I did not like the taste of the cloves
GREAT Recipe. I have made this 4 or 5 times now basically following JENNCARLEN’s directions. I like a little more spice, so a bit of black pepper and, when I’m in the mood, some red pepper for extra punch really does it. I tend to half the green pepper, but that’s just a personal preference. The CLOVE is the key – what a great idea!