Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sandwiches

Wednesday nights are a little different around here because the big guy teaches a late class so dinner needs to be something that will hold well and/or be ready when he gets home because there's not much time between eatin' and sleepin'. Course last night, or should I say this morning, there was even less time for sleepin' since the Maxer took it upon himself to do his watusi seizure dance starting at 2:30 so this post may be a tad discombobulated. Just sayin'.

I decided to spend the better part of yesterday afternoon making these stuffed sandwiches and quite honestly I'm a bit of an idiot. The big guy requested sloppy joes for dinner so I thought I'd go one up on him and do something different. After all, variety is the spice of life.

I used a bread recipe not unlike the one I use for English muffins to make a soft dough that seemed to take forever to rise and while it was doing the skyward lift, albeit slowly, I whipped up a filling with the necessary sweet/sour ketchupy sloppy joe flavors.

Check out the picture essay here from Mags' at The Other Side of Fifty and it'll give you a perfect example as to the process involved. She calls her little beauties "kolaches" and you can bet your boots I'll be trying her recipes next. Shoulda' would'a coulda' didn't this time. Darn.

By the way, they're a great thing to make on a cold rainy windy spring afternoon because they smell awful good when you're prepping and would be fabulous along with a cup of homemade soup. Unfortunately, we didn't have a cold, windy rainy afternoon and that could be why I was moderately disappointed with my results, not that they weren't good mind you. I just wondered if they were worth all the effort. We had them with some of Busch's Grillin' Beans of the Bourbon flavored variety which is a whole other story. Darn those are good beans and I for one will not be making scratch beans for a while when I can just hit my local grocer and buy Busch's.

So now we're down to the crux of the issue - I just didn't feel like cookin'. Now, aren't you glad we finally got around to a conclusion. Gotta' run. Here's the recipe I used - make it your own, if you're so inclined. OK?

Stuffed Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

Buns:

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

1-1/2 cups buttermilk (room temperature)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

18 ounces (by weight) bread flour

Combine warm water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and stir lightly with a fork. Set aside to proof for 10 minutes. Meanwhile in the bowl of a stand mixer with regular beater bar, combine buttermilk, vegetable oil, sugar and salt. Add proofed yeast and mix well to combine. Add half the flour and beat on low speed for 3 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Switch to dough hook, add remaining flour and mix of medium low speed for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove bowl from stand, cover and place in a warm place to rise to double in bulk (approximately 1 to 1-1/2 hours).

Turn dough out onto a well floured bowl and gently deflate. Dough will be very soft. Roll into an 18 inch cylinder and cut into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 6 inch circle. Place 1/4 cup of filling into center and collect dough edges, sealing well. Place seam side down on parchment lined baking sheets, leaving 3 inches between each sandwich. Repeat process until there are 12 sandwiches. Cover and let rise for 15 minutes in a warm place.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 400. Brush sandwiches with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) and sprinkle with coarse salt or dried onions. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.  (May be frozen and reheated).

Filling:

1-1/4 pounds extra lean ground beef

1 small onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped (optional)

Cooking spray

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers

1 cup grated pepper jack or cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Over medium high heat cook onion, red pepper and garlic until soft. Add ground beef and crumble with a fork to break up meat. Cook until meat is browned and juices have been absorbed. Add ketchup, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce and pickled jalapeno peppers and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, add pepper jack cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Set aside to cool. Download Stuffed Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

Comments

[Mary]

My guys would really enjoy these. I'll have to give them a try over the Easter holiday when we have quorum here. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

[June]

That's super Mary. Let me know if they give it a passing grade.

[Mags]

I've really wanted to try the kolaches with sloppy joes! Glad to see you beat me to it and thanks for the link girlie!

[June]

Hey, you're the kolache Queen woman! Glad to oblige. I can't wait to make 'em again - they sure are wonderful to have in the freezer for lunches.

[Nanan]

I so want to try this type of meat pie with my meat pie filling and that bread... - you know my whole tomato allergy thing - and William has an aversion to tomatoes, also... But, I concur that this looks like the perfect cold rainy afternoon comfort meal!

[June]

I'm with ya' Lea on your meat pie filling. I think there's an unlimited number of possibilities and I'm really anxious to try making a variety of these little fun to eat things. Just 45 seconds in the microwave from freezer to plate makes a nice lunch or snacker.