Back-to-School Blenditarian Sloppy Joes

CHEF TALK:  The recipe for the Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend is included below the Back-to-School Blenditarian Sloppy Joes recipe.  The savoury meat blend makes enough base for several 1 lb. (454 g) packages that can be used for Sloppy Joes or other dishes as listed above.  For a Gluten-Free version of this recipe:  the Sloppy Joes meat mixture recipe is gluten-free and dairy free.  Use gluten-free hamburger buns and for the variation listed below using garlic bread, use gluten-free baguettes.

Yield:  Makes 4 – 6 servings

Makes approximately 3 + 1/3 cups (700 ml/775 g) Sloppy Joe mixture:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. (3 cups) savoury meat blend
  _______________

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil or butter
• 1 small onion, diced (1/2 cup), or 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 cup (250 ml/or 8 oz. can) tomato sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon celery salt
• ½ teaspoon onion salt
• ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) ketchup
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) brown sugar

METHOD:

1. Pour the oil into a small saucepan, and then add the diced onion. Cook the onion over low-medium heat until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the package of meat blend, tomato sauce, spices, ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar.  Stir well with a spatula and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.  It should be quite thick when done.
3. Place on toasted hamburger buns.  Serve with a salad and enjoy!

What Else Can I Do With This Recipe?

Sloppy Joes Garlic Toast: If you have leftover Sloppy Joe mixture, use it as a topping on toasted garlic bread. Cut a French loaf in half lengthwise. Place the two halves on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread the bread with garlic butter (see recipe below) and toast in a 400^oF oven until golden. Top the toasted garlic bread with Sloppy Joe mixture. Sprinkle the bread with shredded Cheddar cheese (or cheese of your choice). Bake until heated through. Slice into 3” pieces. Sprinkle with sliced green onion. Serve hot.

Garlic Butter: 1/2 cup butter, softened; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley; 1 tablespoons minced shallot; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon lemon zest.  Combine the ingredients and spread on French Loaf halves (or onto thick slices of bread) with a spatula.

SAVOURY MEAT, MUSHROOM AND VEGETABLE BLEND

CHEF TALK: During the slow cook process, the finely chopped vegetables break down into the same sized morsels as the ground meat. The aromatic vegetables provide a savoury flavour to the base that cannot be duplicated using just meat alone. I chose to use Cremini or Portobello Mushrooms because of their “meaty” taste and darker colour. Chopping the vegetables finely is much easier if you have a food processor. The cooked meat and vegetable base is cooled, portioned and frozen in 1 lb. portions (about 3 cups). This base is nutrient dense and delicious. Feel free to tweak it according to your taste. Build your freezer reserve then use the frozen packages to make any of the meals listed below. Enjoy!

Yield: 1575 g cooked product (approximately 3.5 lbs.)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. (454 g) lean ground beef
• 1 lb. (454 g) ground pork
• ¼ cup dried vegetable flakes, optional but recommended
• 1 lb. (454 g) Cremini or Portobello mushrooms, chopped finely
• 1 large onion (250 g), chopped finely (about 1 ½ cups chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (15 g), minced finely
• 2 stalks celery (175 – 200 g), chopped finely (about 1 cup chopped)
• ½ small rutabaga (300 g), chopped finely (about 2 cups)
• 2 medium carrots (175 g), chopped finely (about 2 cups chopped)
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped finely
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 – 4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

METHOD:

1. Place the ground meat into a 6 to 7-quart crockpot. Season with of the half of the salt and pepper.
2. Using a food processor, chop the vegetables finely and add them to the slow cooker/crockpot.
3. Add the remaining salt and pepper, in addition to the remaining ingredients.
4. Stir the mixture very well.
5. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or 6 – 8 hours on low.
6. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary. It should be seasoned well, savoury and flavourful. Remember that this is a base and other ingredients will be added to it to make other dishes (i.e.: diced tomatoes, chilli powder, etc.).
7. Drain the mixture, if necessary. CHEF TIP: Refrigerate any drained liquid in a separate small bowl. The next day, de-fat the liquid by lifting off and discarding the hardened fat. The remaining liquid will be gel-like. Add some or all of the liquid back into the mixture for extra moisture.
8. Portion the seasoned meat blend into 1 lb. (454 g) portions and place in a zipper bag or vacuum sealer bags. Close tightly or vacuum seal, date, label, and freeze on a flat baking tray.

LEARNING TIPS:  

Please CLICK the link above to access my Urb’n’Spice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:

• Parchment Paper
• Favourite Kitchen Tools – The Simple Spatula
• Oven Temperature Accuracy
  __________

You Might Also Enjoy These Urb’n’Spice Blenditarian Recipes:

Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend

The Ultimate Blended Burger

Blenditarian Hamburger Soup

Savoury Blenditarian Brunch Pork with Vegetables and Fine Herbs

All-Canadian Poutine with a Blenditarian Twist

If you try my recipe for Back-to-School Blenditarian Sloppy Joes, please leave me a comment below with your feedback. Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urb’n’Spice Chef

 

Follow me on Social Media

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Did you Make my Recipe? 

Tag me @urbnspice on Instagram and hashtag #urbnspice