Sloppy Giuseppe

Yes, I know we were just Winter Camping in Algonquin a few weeks ago... the 3rd time this winter, along with visits to other parks that are open in the winter... but the other campgrounds are starting to open for the regular season now!

Anyway, while staying at Rondeau Provincial Park, I took the snow-free opportunity to shoot a few of the recipes we’ve been developing.

This one was one we’ve been looking forward to for a while - an Italian twist on Sloppy Joes!

A lot of people have their own takes on Sloppy Giuseppes - Rachel Ray calls hers “Messy Giuseppes” - and some restaurants even sell different versions. Some have kind of a pizza base vibe, and there are even pizza flavours going by the same name.

I kind of went off in my own direction, starting my meat sauce off from scratch, seasoning it just how we liked. I toast the Ciabatta rolls over some hot coals, slather them with garlic butter, then serve them up with the Sloppy Giuseppes filling and cheese.

Says my husband

“OMG YUM! It’s a delicious and fun take on sloppy joes. Really nicely seasoned, but not overwhelming.

I really love the use of the ciabata rolls and garlic butter. It makes it feel like a really fancy meal, but it also looked like it was pretty low effort... so that’s awesome.”

... it really is a fantastic recipe.

One really great thing about it, though, is that a LOT of the work can be done ahead. The veggies, the garlic butter, and the spice packet can all be dealt with in advance, and frozen in a Freezer Baggie, so it’s right there when you need it. Add some ground meat and tomato sauce, and BOOM - fresh filling!

Anyway, let’s look at what you’ll need to get a batch of your own Sloppy Giuseppe Sandwiches on the go - whether made at home or on a camping trip!

Ingredients

Whether you do prep work ahead of time, or just cook it all up on the spot, this Sloppy Giuseppes recipe uses really simple ingredients. Yes, there’s a bit of a laundry list of seasonings involved... but hey, you don’t want to skimp on flavour.

Also, this is part of why I like to do the prep work ahead of time. While I probably bring more spices camping than most people, I’m not bringing the whole selection of 80 or so herbs and spices that I have in my home pantry!

Mixing them up ahead of time makes things quick, easy, and very space-efficient on trips.

Anyway, a few notes for you::

Lean Ground Beef

I think a lot of people use Italian sausage when making Italian style Sloppy Joes... but not only do we have dietary issues to work around, I like to have more control over the seasoning. Plus, I find the use of ground meat to be a lot healthier than sausage.

Anyway.

Traditional Sloppy Joes use ground beef, and that’s my personal preference for making these... but ever since an unfortunate encounter with a tick when visiting some friends in Texas, my husband can no longer eat beef.

So, I can report that this recipe is still fabulous when made with ground chicken or ground turkey. For that matter, I bet it would be really good with Beyond Meat, for those who also don’t - or can’t - eat beef.

You can use fresh beef or frozen, just thaw it before use. Also, I recommend using lean ground beef or extra lean - this is a one pot recipe, and having to fuss with draining excess grease is annoying when you’re cooking at a campsite!

Herbs and Spices

This recipe uses:

Dried Parsley
Garlic Powder
Fennel Seeds
Italian Seasoning
Onion Powder
Red Pepper Flakes
Smoked Paprika
Ground Black Pepper
Salt

... but feel free to play with the ingredients and amounts. If you don’t like fennel, swap it out for dried oregano or basil. If you don’t have Italian seasoning, swap it out for a homemade blend of oregano, dried basil, a little bit of thyme, etc. It’s all good!

Ciabatta Rolls

Traditional Sloppy Joes recipes tend to use Kaiser buns - and that’s what I use, when making my own Sloppy Joes.

Because this is Italian themed, we went with Ciabata Rolls. If you can’t find any, feel free to use Kaiser buns.

One thing to note: we’ve noticed a big difference in the sizes of Ciabata rolls out there. If you get the square type - that are slightly smaller than a normal Kaiser bun - you’ll need 4.

If you get the smaller rolls - as pictured in this post - you’ll need 8. Then you basically have Sloppy Giuseppe sliders!

Sliced Cheese

We like to use Provolone Cheese when making these Sloppy Giuseppe sandwiches, but sliced Mozzarella cheese would also work really well.

One of these days, I’m going to scatter shredded Parmesan cheese over the pan of Sloppy Giuseppe filling, put the lid on, let it melt, then scoop it up with the cheese already melted - I bet that would be fabulous!

Garlic Butter

You can use store bought garlic butter, or make your own. We make our own, we just don’t measure anything.

I generally beat garlic powder, dried parsley, and salt into soft butter. My husband likes to add a bit of powdered Parmesan cheese!

Everything Else

Rounding out this recipe, you will need:

Tomato Sauce (Or Tomato Puree)
Red Bell Pepper (You can use a Green Pepper)
Onion
Brown Sugar
Olive Oil

... I just really don’t have anything to add, as far as these last few ingredients go. Pretty straightforward!

How to Make Sloppy Giuseppes

The full recipe is in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. Here is my visual walk through, including the directions for prep work that can be done in advance.

Pre-Trip Food Prep

Using a Sharpie, label a medium sized Ziploc Freezer with “Sloppy Giuseppes”, and as much of the instructions as you need or want. Set aside.

If you’re making your own garlic butter, soften the butter in a small mixing bowl, then whisk your ingredients in. We use garlic powder, parsley flakes, and a pinch of salt, all to taste.

Whether you’re making the garlic butter or using pre-made, roll it into a small log, using plastic wrap. Set aside.

Press out any excess air, seal the baggie, and set aside.

Peel and chop your onion, seed and chop the pepper. Add the veggies to the freezer baggie, along with the garlic. Press out all excess air, seal, and freeze until you’re almost ready to make your sloppy Giuseppes.

Assembly

Get a medium campfire going, or get your charcoal on the go. (If you’re making this on a stove, use medium-high heat and a nonstick pan.)

Add the ground beef and olive oil to a large skillet, heavy-bottomed pot, or a dutch oven, and set over the fire or hot coals.

Cook - breaking up the meat as it cooks - just until it’s cooked though. Add the chopped bell pepper and onion, continue cooking until the vegetables are tender, another 2-3 minutes. Note: You can thaw them first, or just add them in frozen. They’ll take a bit longer to cook if frozen, but it works just fine!)

Add the tomato sauce and spice packet to the pan, stir well to combine.

Season with a little salt and pepper, to taste.

Split your Ciabatta rolls, toast them to golden brown over your grill or campfire. Spread with the garlic butter, and arrange on your serving plates.

Divide sloppy Giuseppe mixture between your buns, top with slices of the mozzarella or provolone cheese, and serve hot!

Leftovers

Leftover sloppy Giuseppe mix can be cooled to room temperature, then stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

It also freezes well - transfer the cooled mixture to a small freezer baggie, push out excess air and seal before freezing.

Thaw (if applicable) and reheat before serving.

More Main Dish Camping Recipes

Looking for some great meals to cook on a campfire, or in an RV? Here's a few simple recipes to start with!

Beef & Root Vegetable Stew
Camping Breakfast Skillet
Campfire Chili
Dutch Oven Jambalaya
Hearty Campfire Beef Stew
Grilled Chicken Fajitas
Hobo Eggs
Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Camping Tacos, 2 Ways
Grilled Tuna Tacos
Mediterranean Chicken Kebabs
Rosemary Maple Chicken

... But wait, there's more! See our main Camping Recipes page for ALL of our camping recipes - snacks, desserts, mixes to make ahead of time, and more!

Also, we had SO much fun designing gourmet jerky recipes for our camping trips, we started a whole new blog for them! Check out Dried & Tasty for all kinds of fun recipes to make in your food dehydrator!