Homemade Sloppy Joes with a Birria-Inspired Twist

Birria tacos are so trendy, but they take hours to make. With this sloppy joes recipe, you get the inspired taste of birria in under an hour.

What is birria?

The simple explanation of birria is meat that is stewed in a rich sauce of dried chiles, spices and herbs. But like most stews, the dish is anything but simple.

It’s a traditional Mexican recipe with quite complex flavors and a deeply rooted culinary history that dates back centuries. Historically, it’s made with goat meat and prepared for special occasions.

The idea and flavors of birria have spread to the U.S. over the past several years. In Vegas, many restaurants and taco trucks serve birra tacos.

Chefs dip corn tortillas in the stew broth, then add cheese and stew meat. They fold the tortilla in half and fry it on griddle and serve it with a side of the stew consume for dipping.

The combination of flavors with a side of fresh onion and cilantro is out of this world.

This sloppy joes recipe is in no way an authentic version of birria, but those flavors are what inspired me to create this dish.

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What are sloppy joes?

Sloppy joes have been an American staple for decades. It’s a sandwich, usually served on a bun, made with ground meat cooked in a tomato-based chili sauce.

It’s considered a loose meat sandwich because the meat is not pressed and shaped into a patty like a hamburger.

Sloppy joes became popular because they’re affordable and hearty. Ground beef usually costs less per pound than a steak. And when you pile the meat on a bun, it’s quite filling.

There are so many different variations. Some recipes include adding fresh onions and green pepper. Others I found, dating back to the 1950s, suggest adding cream of mushroom soup.

But the key ingredients for most classic sloppy joe recipes is ground meat, ketchup, tomato sauce or tomato paste, and chili sauce, chili powder or BBQ sauce.

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• Ground Beef: I choose beef that is 80% meat to 20% fat because it has more flavor, but you can use a leaner blend or even ground turkey.
• White Onion
• Ancho Pepper: Look for the dried peppers in the Mexican food aisle.
• Garlic: I use fresh minced garlic, but you can also use garlic powder.
• Bay Leaf
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Cumin
• Mexican Oregano: Look for this in the dry spices aisle or the Mexican food aisle.
• Cayenne Pepper
• Beef Broth
• Quesadilla Cheese: This is a white cheese that melts beautifully. You can also use Oaxaca cheese or monterey jack cheese.
• Hamburger Buns: Grab any type of burger bun you like. I like brioche buns.
• Cilantro

See the full recipe card below for servings and a full list of ingredients.

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How to cook sloppy joes

You can prepare this recipe on the stove, but I like making it on the grill. By cooking it over a charcoal grill or pellet grill, you get woodfire flavor, which adds depth.

1. STEP ONE: Place a pound of ground beef in a large skillet on the grill or stovetop over medium heat. Brown the ground beef for 8-10 minutes. Drain off the excess fat.

2. STEP TWO: To the skillet, add 1/4 cup diced onion, dried chiles, garlic, bay leaf, seasonings and 1 1/2 cups beef broth. Reduce the grill temp to low. Close the grill lid. Simmer for 15 minutes.

3. STEP THREE: Remove the ancho chiles from the skillet. Place them in a blender or food processor with 1/2 cup beef broth. Purée until smooth. Press the mixture through a strainer into the skillet. Cook for 3-4 more minutes.

4. STEP FOUR: Spread the meat mixture into an even layer in the skillet. Top with cheese. Close the grill lid and cook until the cheese is melted, about 4-5 minutes.

5. STEP FIVE: Spoon a big serving onto a hamburger bun. Sprinkle with cilantro and fresh onion. Add the top bun.

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How to serve birria-inspired sloppy joes

Build each sloppy joe sandwich to order and serve them while they’re nice and hot.

If you have leftover flavorful sauce in the pan, pour that into a bowl and let people dunk their sandwiches in the broth.

This is a crowd-pleaser, so if you have a lot of people to serve, go ahead and make a double batch.

They go great with potato chips, tortilla chips or French fries. Another great way to serve the meat is on tortillas or baked potatoes.

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Storage

If you have leftover sloppy joes, it’s best to store the meat separately from the buns and toppings. Store the sloppy joe mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Reheat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Then, pile it on hamburger buns or eat it plain.

You can also freeze the cooked meat for up to 6 months.

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