Chipotle Sloppy Joes

Begin by browning your meat in a large pot over medium heat. Once you have thoroughly browned your meat, remove it from the pot to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Remove the fat drippings and discard them.

Add the canola oil into the pot and bring back to medium heat. Then toss in your carrots, onion, garlic, bell peppers, and chili flakes, and cook on medium heat for about 7 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.

Add the ketchup, tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and brown sugar. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper and give it another stir.

Cover, and cook on medium to low heat for about 15 minutes. Then toss the sauce into a food processor or blender and puree it into a nice smooth sauce. Add the sauce back to the pot, reduce heat to low, and add in the cooked ground beef. Give it a nice stir, and cover. Cook for about another 10 minutes.

To make your sandwich, take one of your hard rolls and stack some of the Sloppy Joe mixture on the bottom half. Add a layer of Fritos, and top with the top bun. I went this route because I wanted a bit more texture, crunch and additional spice from the chili Fritos. It was just perfect. The chipotle Sloppy Joes were still a winner with my kids and they were just spiced enough that everyone could enjoy.

So the next time you are looking to add a bit of smokey heat to your sloppy joes, give these a shot. I hope you enjoy!