BBQ Pork Sloppy Joes

From the kitchen of Carly

American comfort with a Memorial Day cookout pedigree: ground pork in a smoky BBQ-and-ketchup sauce, piled into toasted brioche buns with quick-pickled onion. Roasted sweet potato wedges on the side. Done in 35 minutes. Toast the buns. The butter-and-broil step is what separates a sandwich from a soggy mess.

BBQ Pork Sloppy Joes
Prep
10 min
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
easy

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 2 largesweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
  • 1red onion (half sliced thin, half finely chopped)
  • 2 clovesgarlic, finely chopped
  • 1lime, juiced
  • 4brioche burger buns
  • 1 lbground pork
  • 0.5 cupBBQ sauce (sweet, smoky kind)
  • 3 tbsptomato ketchup
  • 1 tsp + extra to servehot sauce (Tabasco, sriracha, or your favorite)
  • 0.75 tsp (divided)granulated sugar
  • 2 tbspvegetable oil
  • 1 tbspunsalted butter, melted (for buns)
  • 1 to tastekosher salt and black pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

  2. Toss the sweet potato wedges on a baking sheet with 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once, until browned and tender.

  3. While the potatoes roast, quick-pickle the onion: combine the thinly sliced onion in a small bowl with the lime juice, 1/4 tsp of the sugar, and a pinch of salt. Stir and set aside; it pickles in 15 minutes.

  4. Brush the cut sides of the brioche buns with the melted butter.

  5. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until softened.

  6. Add the chopped garlic. Cook 30 seconds more.

  7. Add the ground pork. Break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until browned all over and cooked through.

  8. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the BBQ sauce, ketchup, hot sauce, the remaining 1/2 tsp sugar, the pickling liquid drained from the onion bowl (keep the onions for topping), and 1/4 cup water.

  9. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and clings to the meat. Taste; adjust salt and hot sauce.

  10. While the sauce simmers, toast the buttered buns under the broiler or in a toaster oven for 2 to 3 minutes until golden.

  11. Pile the saucy pork onto each bottom bun. Top with a generous spoonful of pickled onion and a few drops of hot sauce. Cap with the top bun.

  12. Serve with the sweet potato wedges on the side.

Substitutions
  • ground pork to ground beef, turkey, or chicken. Beef makes it the original; turkey and chicken cut the richness. All work the same way.
  • sweet potato wedges to regular potato wedges or onion rings. Sweet potatoes are the modern move; russets give you the classic Friday-night-burger vibe.
  • brioche buns to potato rolls, kaiser rolls, or sliced soft white bread. Anything that holds the saucy pork without falling apart. Toast lightly first.

Pairs well with: Cold lager or hard cider, Coleslaw on the side or piled inside the bun, Pickled jalapenos or extra hot sauce for the bold

Adapted from TheMealDB.