Recipe: Sloppy Toms

Adapted from a January 2012 video recipe at foodwishes.com, prepared for dinner on, November 11, 2012.  Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion
1¼ pounds ground turkey
½ cups water
¾ cups ketchup
1½ tablespoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon cocoa powder
1½ cups water, or as needed depending on simmering time
green onions
cheddar cheese (I chose a mild yellow cheddar cheese)

Instructions 

1. Shred the cheddar cheese, making ½ cup.
2. Chop the green end of the green onions making ⅓ cup.
3. Finely chop the onion.
4. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
5. Add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown.
6. Add the turkey and ½ cups of water, using a spoon to break up the ground meat. Cook until all the pink is gone, about 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the brown sugar and ketchup.
8. Stir in the seasonings: salt, black pepper, cayenne (to taste), Worcestershire sauce, and cocoa powder.
9. Cook for 20-30 minutes until tender. If the mixture gets too dry add some water, if it is too wet let it cook. Check the video to see the proper consistency.
10. Stir in the green onions and cheese.
11. Serve on toasted hamburger rolls and, as Chef John always says, "Enjoy!"

Prepare your mise en place: left to right, brown sugar, cocoa powder, green onion, ground turkey, ketchup, cheddar cheese, Worcestershire Sauce, cayenne.

Chop the onion and cook it in butter with a pinch of kosher salt over medium heat until golden brown.

Add the ground turkey and cook it until no pink remains, breaking the meat up into teeny tiny pieces, then stir in the ketchup and brown sugar.

Stir in the remaining ingredients then simmer, adding water as needed, until the turkey is tender.

Stir in the green onion and cheddar cheese.

Serve on toasted hamburger buns.