Best Sloppy Joe Hand Pies

These are the absolute Best Sloppy Joe Hand Pies. This version of the traditional Sloppy Joe, emphasis on sloppy, is much less of a mess. Store-bought sheets of pie crust dough are used to create a fun, well-contained, juicy, meaty treat. They’re a filling meal, but also a perfect party food. Use any ground meat of your choice to make these simple and versatile hand pies.

Best Sloppy Joe Hand Pies Recipe

Fresh green peppers, some whole and some chopped, carrots chopped in little triangles, and whole red red onions on cutting boards and small plates on a grey background with part of a large chef knife showing in the upper left corner.

Gather all of your ingredients from the recipe below and start your prep with the fresh veggies.

Minced red onion, green pepper and carrots on a slate surface and in a bowl with a cast iron skillet with raw ground beef.

Step 1:

Chop the 3/4 cup red onion, 1/2 cup green pepper, 1/4 cup habanero, and 1/4 cup carrots in preparation for sautéing with the ground beef.

Four small bowls, 1 with seasoning, 1 with relish, 1 with mustard, and one with ketchup on a blue/grey surface with a small wooden tray on the right with salt, pepper and paprika, and fresh whole red onions and habanero pepper s on the left.

Step 2:

Measure out the salt, pepper, thyme, cinnamon, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, and relish. Pull the refrigerator pie crust out of the refrigerator to warm up a bit while preparing the filling for the hand pies.

A cast iron skillet with sautéed veggies and ground meat on a piece of slate on a blue/grey surface.

Step 3:

Sauté the veggies in the olive oil until tender. Add the ground meat and sauté, stirring frequently, until barely brown.

Small Circles of raw dough with meat and veggie filling, and half moon shaped hand pies that are also uncooked.

Step 4:

Using a small saucer as a template, use a sharp paring knife to cut 12 circles out of the sheets of pie crust. A large biscuit cutter would also work if you have one. Fill each circle with Sloppy Joe, and bake!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1/4 cup chopped habanero peppers (or jalapeños for spicier flavor)
3/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground beef (or pork or turkey)
1/4 cup ketchup (more if desired)
2 tbsp yellow mustard
3 tbsp relish
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp thyme (dried or fresh)
3 sheets of packaged pie crust

INSTRUCTIONS

Sauté the veggies in the olive oil until tender. Add the ground meat, and sautée, stirring frequently, until barely brown.
Stir in condiments, spices, and brown sugar. Continue to sautée, stirring frequently until the sauce is mostly absorbed and not too runny.
Using a small saucer as a template, use a sharp paring knife to cut 12 circles out of the sheets of pie crust.
Place a generous 3 tbsp of sloppy joe filling in the center of each circle. Fold in half and crimp the edges.
Place on cookie sheet and bake according to pie crust directions until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and place on cool surface. Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy while very warm.

Recipe, Styling, and Photography by Keith Recker / Story by Star Laliberte

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Best Sloppy Joe Hand Pies