Our favorite Crockpot Sloppy Joes! The slow cooker makes the meat filling ultra-tender and deeply flavorful. We load that savory and slightly sweet meat filling onto toasted brioche buns for a dinner people won't be able to stop raving about! These sandwiches are great to serve to a crowd and perfect for summer BBQs or game-day eating.
PREP VEGGIES: Peel an onion and dice finely. Finely chop the red pepper and carrot. Mince the garlic. Alternatively, add a coarsely chopped carrot, coarsely chopped red pepper, coarsely chopped onion, and garlic to a food processor and pulse into diced pieces -- don't over-pulse, though; we don't want to liquefy the veggies.
COOK VEGGIES: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, carrot, and bell pepper. Sauté for 6-8 minutes or until liquid from the veggies has evaporated and veggies are soft and turning golden. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Using a wooden spoon, press the veggies to the edges of the skillet and add 1 pound ground beef in the center of the pan. Let stand for 45 seconds in the heat and then stir and crumble the meat into small pieces. Cook until no longer pink and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. As you crumble and cook the meat, incorporate the veggies into the meat. If there is any grease from the meat, drain it off here.
SLOWCOOKER: Add beef and veggies to the slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients (except the hamburger buns) to the slow cooker. Season to taste with salt and pepper. I add 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, but add to taste preference (table salt is different so you'll use a lot less). Stir everything together. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring the mixture occasionally if you can. Taste and adjust any seasonings (adding extra salt, pepper, or brown sugar) if desired -- the flavors should sing!
FINISH: Spoon the mixture on top of toasted buns (See Note 2). Add the filling right before eating and enjoy immediately to avoid soggy buns!
Notes
Note 1: Sugar: Add brown sugar to taste -- if you don't like it sweet, you may only want a teaspoon or two and on the flip side you may want up to 3+ tablespoons. Remember, you can always add more at the end!Note 2: Buns: I like to toast the buns; it adds flavor and keeps the buns from getting soggy too quickly. Spread some softened butter over the inside of the top and bottom buns. Either grill the buns on a hot grill for 20-30 seconds, gently toast in a 350 degree F oven until buns are warmed through and barely crispy (about 5 minutes), or brown in a sauté pan for 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat (or until lightly browned). Nutritional information does not include buns as those will vary.