History, Lore, and ... Good Eats !
Like so many “American” foods, the Sloppy Joe Sandwich has many unique stories to tell. And, not
surprisingly, separating fact from fiction is somewhat of a challenge. Debates from where it originated to
what goes in its savory mix of meat and spices fuel friendly conversations in neighborhood bars and
restaurants from Key West to the Northern most cities of our country. One thing no one disputes,
they’re Sloppy and delicious!
The Idea ?
During the Great Depression, and shortly thereafter, ground beef gained popularity in America because it was both economical and nourishing. Recipes for Hamburger Steaks (aka hamburgers) were included in many popular American
cookbooks. Cooks often added inexpensive fillers (bread crumbs, ketchup, tomato paste, eggs, sweet peppers, minced
onions, Worcestershire sauce, bottled horseradish, pickle relish, mustard, salt & pepper were among the most popular)
to stretch the meat. This ground beef mixture was then fashioned into meatballs, meat loaves, hamburger stew, and
loose meat sandwiches.
Possible Origins
"The origins of this dish are really unknown, but recipes for the dish date back at least to the 1940s. It dates in print to
1935. There is probably no Joe after whom it is named--but its rather messy appearance and tendency to drip off plate
or roll makes "sloppy" an adequate description, and "Joe" is an American name of proletarian character and unassailable genuineness. There are many individual and regional variations on the dish. In Sioux City, Iowa a dish of this type is
called a "loose meat sandwich," created in 1934 at Ye Olde Tavern Inn by Abraham and Bertha Kaled."
Marilyn Brown, (Director of the Consumer Test Kitchen at H.K. Heinz in Pittsburgh (the Heinz "Joe," not surprisingly, is
reddened with ketchup)) says Heinz’s research at the Carnegie Library suggests that the Sloppy Joe began in a Sioux
City, Iowa cafe as a "loose meat sandwich" in 1930, the creation of a cook named Joe…
So, what does The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office's TESS trademark database say?? Well, the archives yield 100+
matches on the phrase "sloppy joe," none of which are apparently conclusive to any one true source.
OK? So lets look in the dictionary ?
"Sloppy Joe's...any cheap restaurant or lunch counter serving cheap food quickly, since 1940."
---Dictionary of American Slang, Wentworth & Flexner, 2nd supp. edition.
"...(6th definition) Sloppy Joe, sloppy joe (a) used...to designate a loose-fitting sweater; (b) U.S. a kind of hamburger in
which the minced-beef filling is made into a kind of meat sauce;...."
---Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition *the "loose fitting sweater" definition came up during World War II.
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© Nino Salvaggio Marketplace 2005
Is it possible that Sloppy Joe’s “roots” are not on these shores??
It’s quite possible that the origins of the Sloppy Joe began as a sandwich of a different sort. One story has it originating
in Havana, Cuba in the 1930's at the original "Sloppy Joe's Bar" owned by José García. The bar got its name because
his place was always a mess, and the ropa vieja sandwich served there came to be known as a Sloppy Joe.
Ernest Hemingway who loved Cuba and was a regular at Mr Garcia's Sloppy Joe's had another favorite hang out in
Key West Fla. that sold liquor and fresh, iced down seafood. Hemingway had suggested the name in tribute to Mr. García's Rio Havana club, because the floor was always wet with melted ice, and the name stuck.
Support for the Cuban theory is the sandwich was indeed served at the Sloppy Joe's bar in Havana and that a version of
it wound up on the menu at the Town Hall Deli in South Orange, N.J., in 1936, when it was (and still is) not a messy
Popular belief is that the loose, ground beef sandwich as we know it may have begun its metamorphosis during
the 1940’s at the Sloppy Joe's in Key West which is still a popular night spot today.
The official beginning of Sloppy Joe's Bar, the famous and infamous Key West saloon, was
December 5, 1933--the day Prohibition was repealed. The bar was destined to go through
two name changes and a sudden change of location before it would become Sloppy Joe's,
seen by millions of visitors to Florida's southernmost outpost. See menu excerpt below.
SANDWICHES
The Original Sloppy Joe Sandwich--It made us & Key West famous! Delicious ground beef in a sweet rich tomato sauce, with onions, peppers and spices. $7.50
Nino’s Sloppy Joes
(Makes 8 cups)
2½ lb
1 Tbsp
1 cup
1/2 cup
1 Tbsp
1/2 tsp
¾ tsp
¾ tsp
Ground Chuck Beef
Butter Flavor Oil
Vidalia Onions
Green Bell Peppers
Garlic Cloves Minced
Cumin
Chili Powder
Paprika
1¾ cup Heinz Brand Ketchup
3 Tbsps Yellow Salad Mustard
2 Tbsps Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsps Brown Sugar
2 Tbsps Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp
Dry Oregano
2 Drops
Liquid Smoke
Salt & Pepper to taste
Procedure:
1) Sauté onion, peppers and garlic in butter oil.
2) Add Ground beef to vegetables and brown well. Drain off all excess liquids.
3) Place drained beef mixture in pot and add all remaining ingredients. Simmer 30 minutes.
4) Season to taste.
© Nino Salvaggio Marketplace 2005