Drunken Sloppy Joe’s

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Why add Whiskey to my Sloppy Joe’s?  Why not?

Seriously, whiskey or even vodka heightens the flavor of the tomatoes.  There are some  flavor compounds in tomatoes that are extracted by the alcohol and are carried to the tongue with the alcohol that remains in the sauce (a small amount of alcohol will always be present after cooking).  So I decided tonight to open the spice cabinet and see what flavors I could combine to make these messy sandwiches from my childhood.  (note to self: label the chili powder and Mexican chili powder so you don’t burn tongue when tasting it to see which is which)

When I was deciding how much heat I wanted I remembered my Vodka Sauce had a bit of a spiciness from the combination of vodka and tomatoes.  It leaves a bit of a burn on the front/sides of your tongue. So I grabbed the Vodka and added just a bit and then gave it a taste a few minutes later….Not enough.  So I added a bit more and BINGO, we have a winner.

So give this a try.  Obviously you can leave out the vodka or whiskey  if you like.  It tasted great before the addition, but I loved the change in it once I added the vodka.  See what y’all think.

• 2 pounds ground chuck
• 1 small sweet onion – diced
• 1 green pepper – diced (I used a green, red and yellow miniature pepper this time)
• 1  can tomato paste (6 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 2 tablespoons vodka (or Jack Daniels Whiskey) (purely optional)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4  teaspoon liquid smoke

1. Brown your ground chuck in a large pan over medium heat.  Once browned, remove all but 1-2 tablespoons of any fat.  Add the onions and pepper and cook 3-5 minutes till tender.
2. Add tomato paste, red pepper flakes and garlic.  Cook about 5 minutes longer to brown and caramelize the tomato paste.  Add the water, sugar, molasses, balsamic vinegar, chili powder, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, dried mustard and celery seed.  Stir well and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.
3. Add the vodka, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke.  Stir well and lower heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.