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a golden grilled-cheese sandwich cut in half, with melted cheddar and thick sloppy joe beef visible between the toasted sourdough slices
Andre Lewis

Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

Cheese on both sides of the filling helps hold the sandwich together, but it can't rescue a sauce that's still running across the skillet. Reduce the beef mixture until thick, then let it cool for a few minutes before spreading it over the first cheese layer. Use moderate heat so the bread browns while the middle warms and the cheese melts. Press only lightly. Squeezing hard just sends the sloppy joe filling out of the sandwich before you have a chance to eat it.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 lb 90% lean ground beef
  • 1/2 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 8 slices sourdough sandwich bread
  • 8 thin slices cheddar cheese about 6 oz total
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened

Method
 

  1. Brown beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat for 7 minutes until the meat reaches 160°F. Drain excess fat.
  2. Add ketchup, tomato paste, water, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until very thick, then let cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Butter one side of each bread slice. Set four slices butter-side down and layer each with one cheese slice, one-quarter of the filling and another cheese slice; add the remaining bread butter-side up.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook two sandwiches at a time for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and the cheese is melted, pressing gently with a spatula.
  5. Rest for 2 minutes before cutting so the filling settles between the cheese layers.