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Test Kitchen Approved

Busy Night Joes

Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Yield: 16 servings

About

The ease of Busy Night Joes comes from how much work you don't have to do to make them. Brown the meat so it's juicy and savory, add it and the other ingredients into the slow cooker, and just toast some buns. Then you can just get on with your busy evening! Don't worry, the slow cooker will deliver to you a succulent, spicy, sweet, and tangy mixture that excites your taste buds to no end! Busy Night Joes have dinner covered for you, — not to worry!

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Ingredients

  • 3 pounds lean ground beef or ground pork
  • 2 cups onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 1/2 cups red sweet peppers, chopped
  • 2 cups celery, chopped
  • 1 (12-ounce) can beer, of your choice
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 4 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • hot pepper sauce, optional, to taste
  • 16 kaiser rolls, hamburger buns, split and toasted
  • dill pickle slices, optional, to taste, for topping
  • pickled peppers, optional, to taste, for topping

Directions

Step 1 -In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef, the onions, and the garlic and cook, while crumbling the meat, until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Step 2 -Drain the excess fat from the skillet.

Step 3 -In a 3 1/2-4-quart slow cooker, add the beef mixture, the sweet peppers, the celery, the beer, the ketchup, the molasses, the mustard, the chili powder, the vinegar, and the hot pepper sauce and stir to combine.

Step 4 -Cover the slow cooker and cook until the flavors meld together, about 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

Step 5 -Using a slotted spoon, spoon the beef mixture onto the bottoms of the toasted buns.

Step 6 -Evenly add the dill pickle slices and the pickled peppers on top of the beef mixture.

Step 7 -Close the sandwiches with the toasted bun tops and serve.

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