Barbecue Beefs
Giddy Up Cowboys and Cowgirls
Barbecue Beefs are a meaty sandwich that is a zingy upgrade from your typical sloppy joe. It’s made with browned ground beef, onions, pepper, tomatoes, and a mix of other ingredients that make a delicious tangy sauce.
I love these sandwiches for their Western flair! This recipe makes a great meal for a Sunday in front of the television watching football.
They would also make a great slow cooker meal for trick or treating night! Pair this recipe with my famous Halloween Taco Dip for a spooky festive meal!
Recipe Card At The End
There is a full recipe card at the end of this post, but first I like to take just a few paragraphs to explain a few of my ingredients and methods for anyone who need some more clarification of the recipe.
Feel free to skip ahead to that recipe card or scroll through the whole post to enjoy my wit (and typos if Andrew hasn’t fixed them yet).
(EDITOR ANDREW’S NOTE: Working on it right now, so if you’re reading this it’s too late!)
Funny Story About Barbecue Sauce
I am born and raised in Chicago. We love Open Pit barbecue sauce which is apparently a Chicago thing. So I never really thought much about barbecue sauce in my life until I was twenty years old….
I was working for a vending machine company on my college break and they also ran cafeterias in various Chicagoland Catholic Schools. One day I had to leave the kitchen and abandon my vending machine sandwich making to go and fill in at one of the cafeterias.
I get there and the lunch lady tells me I have to MAKE barbecue sauce!
Never heard of this!
She taught me that you make a simple barbecue sauce that is “kid friendly” by mixing ketchup and mustard and some seasoning. Who knew?!
I mixed it up and while I still love Open Pit, I do love this method of making sauce when it has to be a mild, family friendly version of barbecue .
Enter Barbecue Beefs
This recipe is based off that day I was in the school cafeteria mixing up a vat of school barbecue. The sandwiches are savory beef and this tangy sauce.
You can adjust the heat of this sauce to your liking. Every time I make these sandwiches, I am fondly reminded of that school cafeteria.
Chop Those Tomatoes
The recipe for these beefs calls for a can of whole tomatoes. I use my kitchen shears to cut them up in the can.
You do not have to make the tomatoes super finely chopped, just hack them up. They will mostly dissolve into the delicious beef mixture.
These add a sweetness and a tanginess and make a great barbecue sauce.
Peppers and Onions, Or Not
My recipe calls for peppers and onions. If you think your family wont like the chunks of these veggies then go ahead and omit them and just add a sprinkle of onion powder and a little bit of extra paprika to the recipe.
Did you know paprika is made from bell peppers? So you can add the flavors and trick your family by using the powders.
What IS Worcestershire Powder?
You will see that the recipe calls for Worcestershire Powder.
I love using this ingredient because it adds a deeper, richer flavor then the traditional sauce version. I get the one I use on Amazon.
*This link for it is an affiliate link. This means Amazon pays me a small commission if you use the link. There are many other brands on Amazon you can peruse as well.*
If you do not want to buy the powder, the recipe will be just fine with the usual Worcestershire Sauce. If you DO buy the powder, you can check out the other recipes I have that use it ON MY BLOG.
Scroll through and make them all! The Caesar Cutlets are my favorite .
Bring To A Friend Or Freeze
If you need a recipe to bring to a friend, this would be a great one. This recipe also freezes REALLY well so make a big batch, freeze, and you have a back up meal for another night.
If you want to bring this to a friend, make the meat, add some buns, good chips, and some gourmet pickles. They will really appreciate this meal.
Barbecue Beefs Recipe
You can make these barbecues as spicy or mild as your family prefers. This is a great stove top recipe that can simmer away or it can be made in your slow cooker, perfect for busy people on the go.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of lean Ground Beef
- 1 medium Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 1 fifteen ounce can of whole Tomatoes
- 15 ounces of Water, use the empty tomato can
- 1/2 to 3/4 of a tablespoon of Worcestershire Powder *can sub 1 tablespoon of the liquid sauce
- 1 cup of Ketchup
- 1 tablespoon of Pickle Juice
- 2 tablespoons of Yellow Mustard
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon of Garlic Salt *or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon of Black Pepper *or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper *or to taste
- 1 teaspoon of Chili Powder *or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon of Cumin *or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon of Paprika *or to taste
- 1 tablespoon of Butter or Cooking Oil of your choice
- Hamburger Buns
- Pickles
- White Cheddar Cheese Slices *optional
Instructions
- In a deep skillet, add your butter or cooking oil and then the onions and peppers. Sauté low and slow until the peppers and onions are soft.
- Add your ground beef and cook through and break up into a fine crumble as it cooks. If using a leaner meat, there is no need to drain. If using a higher fat meat, drain before the next steps.
- Season your meat and veggies with all of the dried seasoning and herbs. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference.
- Open the can of tomatoes and use kitchen shears to cut up the tomatoes while in the can into smaller pieces. Add the tomatoes with their sauce to the meat. Sauté for a few minutes and use your ground meat chopper or spatula to break up the tomatoes further.
- Add the pickle juice, mustards, and ketchup plus the water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and put a lid on the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally for one hour. You will have to check the heat and adjust from time to time and stir. All stoves and pans are different so your meat may cook faster or slower. Keep an eye on this the first time you make it and mark it down for next time.
- Remove the lid at the one hour mark and cook for 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the heat and let this rest for 15 minutes to give the sauce time to thicken.
- Serve on buns with pickles and sharp cheddar cheese.
*if you want to make this in a slow cooker you can add all the ingredients to the slow cooker AFTER you finish step 3 then cook on low 6 to 8 hours.