This Big-Batch Slow Cooker Sloppy Joe Recipe Is the Easiest Way To Win Dinnertime
If you're looking for an easy way to wow your dinnertime crew, our Crock-Pot Sloppy Joe recipe is just the way to do it. You'll find all the usual suspects (ground beef, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, and perfectly toasted hamburger buns), but with a few kicked-up additions that make our family favorite an absolute standout. Chief among them? Ground pork sausage and a bit of cider vinegar.
The thing about a good dinner recipe is that it can take the stress off of meal planning in an instant. When you know it's going to be a winner, it's just one less thing to worry about—especially, if like me, you have a few persnickety eaters gathering around your table every evening. That's precisely how I feel when I add these easy Sloppy Joes to my weekly meal plan. Firstly, because I already have most of the ingredients on hand. Secondly, because I know there will be shouts of glee when my crew catches the savory whiffs coming from the slow cooker working away on the countertop. Now it doesn't come without its drawbacks, like having to keep a constant eye on the Crock-Pot to make sure no one takes an early spoonful, in addition to answering the nearly constant chime of questions regarding how soon until they can finally dig in.
Those inconveniences aside, this recipe couldn't be easier. You'll have to brown and drain the sausage and pork before adding it to the slow cooker, everything else gets tossed into the appliance to cook away on HIGH for four hours. By that time, your family will be absolutely chomping at the bit to get their hands on a serving spoon so they can ladle a whopping serving onto the bottom of a perfectly toasted bun.
Whether they go at it open-faced with a fork and knife (my preference) or prefer to get messy and really let these simple Sloppy Joes live up to their moniker is up to the discretion of all those gathered around. The only way to go wrong is to not add this family-pleasing recipe to your lineup when you're looking for a no-brainer come dinnertime planning.
If you'd rather whip these Sloppy Joes up on the cooktop, complete both Step 1 and Step 2, adding ingredients to the drained beef mixture, omitting the flour. Once it has reached a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
