Unbreaded

Sloppy Joe, Slop Sloppy Joe

I haven’t been able to say the words “sloppy joe” in 15 years without hearing Adam Sandler’s hypnotic chorus to his popular Saturday Night Live performance of Lunch Lady Land.  It drove a spike in my brain that will probably haunt me for another 15 years.  And the unfortunate side effect of that song is that the sloppy joe brand has been forever linked with this defining moment of absurdity, and it makes it difficult to treat the sandwich with its due respect.

The sloppy joe is a working class hero.  It is the epitome of man food – meaty, juicy, full of big flavor – and eaten with your hands.  Pulled pork sandwiches may be all the rage today, but we ask, why doesn’t Joe get any respect?   Did Adam Sandler single handedly drive it out of our lives?

It’s time to revive old sloppy Joseph.  A mound of ground beef, turkey, even tempeh with sautéed veg and lots of tomato in a rich and gooey sauce on a toasted hamburger roll.  It’s not old-fashioned food – it’s timeless food.

If you know where to find a good sloppy joe sandwich, let us know in the comments.

[Recipe: FoodNetwork.com]