Chili Sauce Gives Homemade Sloppy Joe’s a Tangy Kick

Move over Manwich, there's a new Joe in town.

As I've said in a previous blog, my wife and I prefer to make meals without the use of some prepackaged "box dinner" whenever possible. While Manwich is a fine product and a good go-to when in a pinch, we prefer to whip up our sloppy joes from scratch. The mix of chili sauce and brown sugar gives the sauce a delicious, tangy-sweetness that makes it one of my favorite meals. Plus, it's ready to go in about 20 minutes.

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Here's what you need:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 - 12 oz. bottle of chili sauce (usually found in the same aisle as ketchup)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• Hamburger buns or regular bread

Now that you have the ingredients, here's what to do with them:

• Brown ground beef with onion and green pepper until the meat is no longer pink and the veggies are tender. Drain, and return to the skillet.
• Mix chili sauce water, sugar, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper in a bowl and pour over ground beef mixture.
• Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Serve on top of hamburger buns or bread and dig in!