This American classic brings all sorts of nostalgia of grandma’s house, football games and neighborhood gatherings. The brown sugar adds just enough richness from the molasses that makes it brown in addition to balancing the acidity of the tomatoes and enhancing the flavor of the spices.

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ pounds ground beef
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• ½ onion, diced
• 1 cup ketchup
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Hot sauce
• Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. In a large pot, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat and drain off the fat.
2. Stir in green peppers and onions. Add ketchup and garlic.
3. Add remaining ingredients, including just a splash each of hot sauce and Worcestershire, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
4. Serve on buns with pickles if desired.

Recipe adapted from: https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/sloppy-joes/