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How to Can Sloppy Joe Filling

We all need to eat and several times a day at that. On those days when life is just packed with stuff can make eating healthy and frugally a bit of a challenge. I combat that by having some quick meals that are easy to grab and eat ready in the pantry. These aren’t meals of processed foods in a box but rather meals I made in advance. One of the easiest meals to make in advance is to can sloppy joe filling.

Jars of canned sloppy joe filling in front of a loaf of bread.

Sloppy Joes are endlessly appealing it seems to kids and adults alike. They can take on many forms and flavors and whip up so easily both for the canning process and for reheating later. Some bread and vegetables on the side and dinner is ready in a flash.

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The Perfect Winter Preservation Project

Most of us probably do our preserving when vegetables are coming in from the garden but canning sloppy joe filling is a great winter project. Use tomato sauce and ketchup that was canned over the summer as well as the beef broth that was put up earlier. Use chopped and frozen bell peppers here too, if available. Don’t have homemade versions? Store bought will work just fine.

Keep It Frugal

I buy a half a grass-fed cow every fall. There’s a lot of ground meat in that and so it’s the meat I use as a base for my sloppy joe filling. However, use whatever ground meat you have on hand – use wild game, venison is quite tasty here. Ground turkey or chicken work well too. A mix of different meats is good too, I’ve been known to use ground beef and a little Italian sausage on occasion. Match the broth in the recipe to the ground meat used.

Beef broth in the filling does add a certain depth of flavor to these sloppy joes, however; if none is available and frugality is of concern, use plain water. The water will create a delicious filling, too.

Jars of canned sloppy joe filling in front of a loaf of bread.

Pressure Canning

Meat must be pressure canned. It is simply unsafe to can it in a boiling water bath. A pressure canner is an expensive investment but one that will likely last you a lifetime and will easily pay for itself over time with meals like this at the ready. Please, I’ve seen the old articles and books, even seen it mentioned online now and then about canning meat for something like 3 hours in a boiling water bath – don’t, just don’t. Use a pressure canner.

Yield: 8 Pints

How to Make Sloppy Joe Filling

How to Make Sloppy Joe Filling

Make and can sloppy joe filling to have a quick and homemade meal ready in the pantry without the dubious ingredients of processed store-bought versions.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 4 Pounds Ground Beef
  • 3 Cups Onion, chopped
  • 1 ½ Cups Bell Peppers, chopped
  • 2 Cups Ketchup
  • 2 Cups Tomato Sauce
  • 2 Cups Beef Broth or Water
  • 1 Tablespoon Salt, more or less to Taste (use less if using salty broth)
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard

Instructions

Make Sloppy Joe Filling

  1. Brown the ground beef. Drain off the fat.
  2. Put the beef and remaining ingredients into a large pot. Stir well.
  3. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

How to Can Sloppy Joe Filling

  1. Fill jars with hot sloppy joe filling. Leave 1″ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and wipe jar rims. Secure lids and bands.
  2. Process pints for 75 minutes, quarts for 90 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure. Adjust the pressure based on elevation and style of canner. I can mine at 15 pounds of pressure, for example. The National Center for Home food Preservation has a handy chart if you’re unsure. 
  3. Let jars cool and check seals. Remove rings and store sealed jars in the pantry. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use within a week or freeze for use later.

Notes

To Use

Pour the filling into a pot, cover, and bring to a simmer. Heat through. Serve on bread or buns, over rice or noodles.

Did you make this recipe?

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Hollie

Sunday 3rd of September 2023

Hi, I followed the recipe/instructions and everything sealed perfectly but I’m seeing a ton of air pockets. I debubbled as best I could but it’s such a thick mixture. I’m wondering if it’s safe to store and eat with the air pockets.

Kathie Lapcevic

Sunday 10th of September 2023

I would just keep an eye on the seals but it should be fine.

Dawn Eaker

Wednesday 9th of August 2023

Has anyone tried 1/2 pints and for how long in pressure canner?

Kathie Lapcevic

Sunday 13th of August 2023

Half pints would be the same amount of time in a pressure canner.

Stephanie

Wednesday 29th of March 2023

What is the shelf life of this recipe?

Kathie Lapcevic

Wednesday 5th of April 2023

All home canned goods should be used up within 1 year.

Sara

Monday 2nd of January 2023

Is there a science to your recipe versus say I use my own and can it? I’m asking as I’m going refined sugar free so I use no sugar ketchup and then add a little maple syrup as a sweetener, will that make a difference for food safety with canning?

Kathie Lapcevic

Monday 2nd of January 2023

The time & pressure is for canning beef (even if you just canned beef with nothing else added) it doesn't matter if you add any sweetener here.

Mar

Saturday 3rd of September 2022

I have never pressure canned. I usually hot pack everything I can. I thought about doing it this way, any reason why I shouldn't? If meat is cooked, why would it need pressure canned?

Kathie Lapcevic

Saturday 3rd of September 2022

It's not about cooking. It's about acidity level in canning. Meat is low acid and like all low acid foods a pressure canner must be used. The pressure canner ensures that food in the jar is heated to a high enough temperature to destroy toxin-producing bacterial spores, like botulism. Boiling water is simply not hot enough, you must use a pressure canner in order to safely can meat.

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