Ground beef simmered in a sweet-savory tomato sauce with onion, bell pepper, ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire—loose but spoonable enough to contain in a bun.
Toasting the buns is non-negotiable for proper texture contrast with the meat sauce. Adjust tanginess with more vinegar or sweetness with more brown sugar to taste.
Sauce can be made ahead and reheated; it thickens slightly when chilled, so thin with water if needed before serving. Add ½ teaspoon smoked paprika for subtle smoke depth.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 1 whole Small yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup Green bell pepper, diced
- 2 clove Garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- ¾ cup Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar
- ½ cup Water
- ½ tsp Chili powder
- 1 tsp Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 4 piece Hamburger buns, lightly toasted
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 1 whole Small yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup Green bell pepper, diced
- 2 clove Garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- ¾ cup Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar
- ½ cup Water
- ½ tsp Chili powder
- 1 tsp Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 4 piece Hamburger buns, lightly toasted
Instructions
Sauté the aromatics
Heat skillet over medium heat (325–350°F surface), then add olive oil (1 tbsp).
Add small yellow onion (1 whole), diced and green bell pepper (½ cup), diced; sauté until soft.
Add garlic cloves (2 clove), minced and cook until fragrant.
Equipment: large skillet, wooden spoon or spatula
Brown the beef
Add ground beef (1 lb) to the skillet, seasoning with salt (½ tsp) and black pepper (¼ tsp).
Cook, breaking meat into small pieces, until browned with little pink remaining.
Equipment: large skillet, wooden spoon or spatula
Build the sauce
Add ketchup (¾ cup), yellow mustard (1 tbsp), Worcestershire sauce (1 tbsp), brown sugar (1 tbsp), water (½ cup), and chili powder (½ tsp) to the skillet.
Stir well to combine everything with the beef and vegetables.
Equipment: large skillet, wooden spoon or spatula
Simmer until thickened
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened and saucy but still spoonable.
Stir in red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (1 tsp) and adjust sugar or salt to taste.
Equipment: large skillet, wooden spoon or spatula
Serve on buns
Spoon hot mixture onto hamburger buns, lightly toasted (4 piece) and serve immediately.
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Toasting the buns is non-negotiable for proper texture contrast with the meat sauce
- • Adjust tanginess with more vinegar or sweetness with more brown sugar to taste
- • Add ½ teaspoon smoked paprika for subtle smoke depth
- • Sauce can be made ahead and reheated; it thickens slightly when chilled, so thin with water if needed before serving
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