The Best Beef-To-Fat Ratio For Indulgent Sloppy Joes, According To Alton Brown

Once a staple of cheap 70's comfort, sloppy Joes are seeing a modern revival as a luxury food item. Of course, it's important to first understand the basics of this beloved sandwich before determining how best to dress it up. In a video on his YouTube channel, Alton Brown shares that he uses beef with an 80/20 ratio in his sloppy Joes. This ratio refers to the beef being 80% lean and 20% fat. He says of this beef-to-fat ratio, "I don't want it any leaner than that because fat is flavor."

To prepare his sloppy Joe sauce, Brown uses a kitchen scale to weigh out the ingredients in lieu of measuring with kitchen spoons. Similar to a four-ingredient quick sloppy Joe sauce with some extra flourishes, Brown mixes brown sugar, yellow mustard, ketchup, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and 10 dashes of liquid smoke, gently combining everything by whisking. Brown drains about half the fat from his cooked beef before mixing in the sauce, mentioning that the 80/20 ratio was still necessary because, "I needed all this fat to really activate and wake up the spices and then move that spice flavor throughout the whole because most of these spices have fat-soluble flavors."

Keeping the basics of Alton Brown's beef-to-fat ratio in mind is the best foundation for a flavorful sloppy Joe. Additionally, you can easily spice up your beef filling with a handful of simple staples from your kitchen. For example, grab the salsa in your pantry to give sloppy Joes a spicy twist. Even a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce or dried chile peppers will help turn up the heat. If you prefer adding cheese to your sloppy Joes, use slices or shreds of pepper Jack for even more great taste.

The filling for your sloppy Joes doesn't have to be limited to just beef, either. To add more essential vegetable nutrients like fiber to your meal, transform sloppy Joes with the help of roasted peppers. Similarly, you can mix in a portion of beans or lentils into your 80/20 ground beef to combine the power of both animal and plant-based proteins.

Get creative with your sloppy Joe buns, too, making sure that whatever you choose has enough structural integrity to hold up to a beefy filling. Otherwise, skip the messy handheld and make your own spoonable sloppy Joe bowl. Serve this over rice or potatoes for an addition of starchy carbs, or try a bed of spring mix or salad greens instead. There are endless possibilities for a delicious sloppy Joe that doesn't skimp on flavor.