I feel like we need to talk about Sloppy Joes.

[IDontMindMarmite]

Growing up on a diet of American TV, I have often heard of this meal. Never really known what it is. I just googled it and am not completely sure what to make of it. It seems to be like spag bol but without the spag and in a bun (roll, cob etc not getting into that here!) instead?

I mean I like minced beef based meals. I like sandwiches. I like burgers. In theory I should like this too and would consider trying it. But my mind is a bit boggled about it. Wouldn't it be really really messy? And the name. I understand the sloppy part if it reflects the fact that the contents are going to slop out of the bun. But why Joe?

Thank goodness I don't have more pressing things to concern myself about at this time...

Not really much to vote on here, I suppose you could say YANBU for it's delicious and YABU for it's disgusting?

Slightly off on a tangent, I always imagined funnel cake to be a cone shaped fairy cake with sprinkles on top. I was disappointed when I saw them being made at Disney World.

I love sloppy joes. I put them in a wrap though, much easier to eat

This is the recipe I use

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/sloppy-joe/

They make me feel sick. The name alone is off putting but the appearance and taste is just... urgh

I'm Scottish and we used to have mince in a roll as a lunchtime treat if there had been leftovers from mince and tatties the night before. Sloppy Joes aren't all that different an idea really.

I made some a few years ago as we were trying out different American recipes and a friend in the US was trying some of our British recipes. I watched a lot of American TV growing up so I found it interesting to learn that all these oddly named dishes I'd always thought would be something strange were actually just fairly normal things. Succotash was another I did and taco soup (which felt more like a liquidy chilli in a bowl rather than "soup"). I can't remember any others now as it was quite a while ago.

Is a Sloppy Joe the same as a Loose Meat Sandwich?

(Loose Meat doesn't sound particularly appealing)

We have them sometimes instead of a burger. Burger bun with mince cooked in BBQ sauce (but it isn't just BBQ sauce from the bottle - not sure how DH makes it) sometimes with cheese.

@tothesea

I ordered a chilli dog the first time I was in America and for some reason I assumed it was the hot dog sausage that was chilli. I was aghast when presented with this hot dog with chilli con carne all over it. Tasty but very messy !

Omg that's why I thought it was too!!

I'm all for it! Never tried one but I'm fully on board with idea. Goes off in search of mince and buns .....

@Cheeseandwin5

I thought Sloppy Joes was a kind of coffee. I may have to google it. To be honest I would find the name is very of putting if it is food.

Yes the name is a bit off putting.

I've never heard of funnel cake, will google now.

I've also heard of Succotash but have no clue what it is.

I love mince on toast with loads of Henderson's relish. Not so dissimilar to that I would have thought, although I eat it with a knife and fork

@TyneTeas

Is a Sloppy Joe the same as a Loose Meat Sandwich?

(Loose Meat doesn't sound particularly appealing)

No the sloppy joe has a tomato based sauce, more bolognase ish The Loose meat sandwich is meat browned with onions and seasoning and topped with some cheese or mustard or whatever you like.

I LOVE them!!

Always had them as a child.

I also make butties out of chilli (add cheese) and spag bol (add cheese).

Philly cheese steak sandwiches are waaaay better than sloppy joes.

Thin sliced steak, cheese, onions and peppers... I serve with chipotle Mayo on toasted bread... soooo good!

Exactly what I was coming on to say @RatherLostPenguinsOnParade.

We also used to get a piece on gravy i.e. White plain bread with the solid crusts dipped in the mince or stew while it was cooking. Tasty.

American cuisine has offered up some truly delicious treats, but I’m not sold on this one. I think it belongs with grits in the ‘no thanks’ bin.

We love them. Cheese and jalapeños essential for ours.

My mum used to have her relatives send over Sloppy Joe seasoning for us 😀 we only had them on an open English muffin and ate them with a knife and fork

I'm all for them. I often make a bolognese sandwich if I'm peckish and cooking one.

On the subject of off-putting American names for food, they call brawn 'headcheese'. No ta!

We make them quite a lot- big hit in our house. I’m American and grew up eating them. At their best- total comfort food! I make a good one!

@RatherLostPenguinsOnParade I'm Scottish and we used to have mince in a roll as a lunchtime treat if there had been leftovers from mince and tatties the night before. Sloppy Joes aren't all that different an idea really.

Was coming on to thread to say the same thing! Never had SJ but LOVE mince on a roll. Or even better, mince on a mutton pie on a roll.

For anyone concerned about how to contain your cooked ground meat in a sandwich, I can recommend the Scottish method: Scotch Pie Buttie.

Anyway, going to have to try this sloppy Joe thing, sounds good.

Sounds like you'd need cutlery to eat one, which rather defeats the object of a sandwich.

I love sloppy joes. I have made them a few times, but no where near as good as the one I had at a Sloppy Joes restaurant in Key West.

Another way of eating them, cover fries with sloppy joes, sprinkle over cheese and bacon bits and stick under the grill till it's melted.

*RatherLostPenguinsOnParade I'm Scottish and we used to have mince in a roll as a lunchtime treat if there had been leftovers from mince and tatties the night before. Sloppy Joes aren't all that different an idea really.

Was coming on to thread to say the same thing! Never had SJ but LOVE mince on a roll. Or even better, mince on a mutton pie on a roll.*

And here! And mince on toast. My english friends recoil in horror!