Sloppy Joes are proof that an ugly dish can be brilliant. No technique, no fuss — just ground beef in a sweet and tangy tomato sauce, stuffed into a bun that’s way too small. And if you think it’s messy, even better.
The sauce is a deep red bordering on brown, like a ketchup that has matured and gained some personality. It smells of meat caramel, concentrated tomato, with that slightly smoky aftertaste that Worcestershire always leaves behind. The lightly toasted bun gives way under your fingers even before the first bite. And that first mouthful — hot, dense, and a bit too generous — it’s bound to overflow.
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