Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales’ distinguished chef, Paul Olson, so kindly shared with me his recipe for the best Sloppy Joes I’ve ever had. Flavourful, comforting and appropriately sloppy, his version is made of bison meat but since that’s a bit difficult to find in the UK lamb, venison or lean beef would be a good substitute.

SLOPPY JOE

You'll need
1 kg mince lamb/beef
1 red pepper, small onion and carrot, finely chopped
250ml chicken stock
175ml barbecue sauce
120ml ketchup
50g brown sugar
1 1/2 TB yellow mustard
½TB Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large Spanish onion sliced and caramelised
Mature cheddar
Good burger buns

Method
1. Brown meat in large heavy pot over medium heat until cooked through.
2. Drain excess fat leaving a little in the pan, remove meat and set aside.
3. In the same pan add diced peppers, onion and carrot, sauté over medium heat until soft.
4. Add your favourite BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock and a little salt and fresh ground black pepper and simmer 4-5 minutes.
5. Add the meat back to the pan and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add mustard and adjust seasoning if needed.
6. Butter and toast buns under the grill or in a sauté pan. Top the Sloppy Joe sauce with caramelised onions and cheddar. Place under the grill until melted.

I like it with...

Jolly Pumpkin / Fuego del Otono  / 6.1%
The balanced sweet and sour character is a perfect match for the acidity in the sandwich while its refreshing finish is a good cleanse for the next bite.

 

 PULLED PORK

Smoked over mesquite in Texas, served dry in Memphis or topped with a mustard sauce in South Carolina, no matter where you find yourself in the States, you’ll always find a Pulled Pork Sandwich. No worries if you don’t have a fire pit, it can be delicious from the slow-cooker too.

You'll need
1kg pork shoulder
Coarse salt
1TB paprika
1TB cumin
1TB ground dry mustard
1TB ground coriander seeds
2tsp ground cayenne
50g muscovado sugar
salt & pepper
Water or beer
Your favourite BBQ sauce
Cole slaw
Cheese
Ciabatta roll

Method
1. Coat the pork in coarse salt, tightly wrap in cling film and allow the brine in the refrigerator for about 8-12 hours. Once finished rinse off with water and pat dry.
2. Combine the spices and muscovado sugar in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Coat the pork with the spice mix. Allow the rub to rest on the pork for a few hours in the fridge.
3. Place the pork in a slow cooker and add enough of the liquid to come about ¼ of the way up the pork. Cook on low for about 5 hours. Shred the pork.
4. Stir in some of your favourite BBQ sauce (don’t worry about draining, it should soak up in the meat when shredding.) Allow to cook for about one hour more.
5. Pile high on a ciabatta roll and top with slaw and a slice of cheese (mature cheddar works well.)

I like it with...

Stone / Little Bastard Ale / 4.7%
The big malts in the beer are a fantastic complement to the sweetness of the meat and its assertive bitterness takes the heat up a notch. 

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