Thursday, January 7, 2010

Sloppy Joes


Nothing says comfort food like Sloppy Joes. Why not make it healthier by substituting lean ground buffalo for the beef and serving it on homemade sourdough rolls? Grass-fed buffalo is higher in Omega-3s (an essential fatty acid) than grain-fed cattle, balancing your Omega-6s. Unbalanced levels of Omega-6s may lead to heart disease, inflammatory diseases, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and behavioral disorders. Sourdough rolls make a better alternative to white hamburger buns since the acid in the starter lowers the glycemic index rating. Some day, when I am feeling particularly ambitious, I will post a sourdough recipe.

For this dish, use a jalapeno if you like things spicy. To mellow your joe, choose a poblano or a green bell pepper instead. We like to grind our own spices, but you may use a pinch each of ground clove, allspice and black pepper. We served them with Molly Wizenberg's pickled carrots (pictured above). The combination was pure ecstasy.

Serves 2-4, depending on how sloppy you like your joe

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1/2 pound ground buffalo
1 clove
5 allspice berries
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon ground dried chili
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon mustard (we made our own - recipe to come)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 roma tomatoes, cored and pureed in a blender
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2-4 sourdough or hamburger buns, split horizontally

1. Grind clove, allspice berries, and black peppercorns. Reserve.
2. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add meat, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes or until meat is browned.
4. Add ground clove, allspice, pepper, and dried ground chili. Stir.
5. Add honey, mustard, vinegar, and tomato puree. Stir well. Bring liquids to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often.
6. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper, if you like.
7. Distribute filling amongst buns.

Sloppy Joe Potatoes on Foodista

2 comments:

  1. Any benefit in grass-fed beef?

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  2. yes! grass-fed beef also has a lot of the same good EFAs. that's why argentinean beef is healthier! buen provecho!

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