Description
Hearty Mississippi Sloppy Joes bring Southern comfort to dinner tables with rich beef and tangy ranch dressing melting into pillowy buns. Convenient slow cooker magic delivers a crowd-pleasing meal you can easily prepare and savor without complicated kitchen work.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 lbs (907 grams) ground beef
- 2 lbs (907 grams) ground turkey
Seasoning and Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 packet (28 grams) ranch seasoning mix
- 1 packet (28 grams) au jus gravy mix
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) beef broth
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) black pepper
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) smoked paprika (optional)
Additional Ingredients:
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, sliced
- ½ cup (75 grams) sliced pepperoncini peppers
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) pepperoncini juice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 brioche or sandwich buns
- ½ cup (56 grams) shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- ½ cup (56 grams) shredded provolone cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare ground beef by searing in a hot skillet, breaking into crumbly texture until no pink remains and excess fat drains away completely.
- Gently transfer the caramelized meat into the slow cooker vessel, creating an even layer across the bottom.
- Sprinkle ranch seasoning and au jus mix evenly over the meat, ensuring complete coverage for maximum flavor infusion.
- Add softened butter chunks, creating pockets of richness throughout the mixture.
- Distribute sliced pepperoncini peppers and finely chopped onions across the meat, providing tangy and aromatic undertones.
- Mince fresh garlic and scatter over the ingredients, releasing its robust essence into the developing sauce.
- Pour beef broth around the edges of the meat, allowing liquid to slowly integrate with the seasonings.
- Dust freshly cracked black pepper and smoky paprika across the surface for depth and complexity.
- Gently stir all components, ensuring every morsel becomes coated with the developing flavor profile.
- Secure slow cooker lid and allow mixture to simmer and meld together, transforming into a rich, tender preparation.
- Cook on low temperature setting for approximately 4-5 hours, or on high setting for 2-3 hours until meat becomes incredibly tender and sauce reaches desired consistency.
Notes
- Drain beef thoroughly to prevent excess grease in the final dish, ensuring a cleaner, more appetizing texture.
- Experiment with different ground meats like turkey or plant-based alternatives for a lighter or vegetarian version of these sloppy joes.
- Adjust the pepperoncini quantity based on your spice tolerance, adding more for extra kick or removing them for a milder flavor profile.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free ranch seasoning and au jus mix, and serve on gluten-free buns or over cauliflower rice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg