How long do you smoke ground beef for sloppy joes?

Plan on 30 to 40 minutes for the patties at 180 to 200°F, which is enough to pull in smoke and set a seasoned crust without cooking them all the way through. They finish in the sauce and during the 20-minute return to the smoker at 300°F, so the timing is forgiving. You are not chasing a final temp on the patties yet, just good color and smoke.

What temperature do you smoke sloppy joe meat at?

This recipe runs two stages for a reason. The patties go on low at 180 to 200°F so they soak up as much smoke as possible, then the assembled skillet comes back up to 300°F to meld the sauce and bring everything together. That higher finish also carries the beef past the safe 160°F mark for ground beef.

What is the best ground beef for sloppy joes?

80/20 is the sweet spot, since the fat carries flavor and keeps the filling moist through both cooks. You can drop to 90/10 for a leaner version, but add a spoon of tallow to the skillet so it does not dry out on you.

Smoked Sloppy Joes (Spicy & Sweet)

Ingredients

Scale

2 lbs 80/20 ground beef
2 tbsp Canyon Crust Beef Seasoning
1 tbsp oil (or tallow)
1/2 sweet onion, finely diced
1 poblano pepper, finely diced
1 jalapeño, minced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup Smoky Sonoran BBQ Sauce (more as desired)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup beef broth or stock
1 tbsp chili powder or Sedona Sand Fiesta Seasoning (optional)

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Instructions

Form the beef into 2 to 3 thick patties and season the outside all over with Canyon Crust.
Smoke at 180–200°F for 30–40 minutes to pull in smoke and set a seasoned crust.
In a cast iron skillet over medium, cook the onion, poblano, and jalapeño 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, stir 1 minute, then add BBQ sauce, Worcestershire, and broth. Simmer until combined.
Chop the smoked patties into crumbles and fold into the sauce.
Return the skillet to the smoker at 300°F for 20 minutes, stirring once. Beef should reach 160°F.
Adjust sauce, pile on toasted buns, and top as desired.

Notes

Notes: Best made a day ahead. Refrigerate up to 4 days, freeze up to 3 months. Use 90/10 beef with added tallow for a leaner version. Serve in hot dog buns for a less messy option.

Author: Brad Prose
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: Burgers & Sandwiches
Method: smoking
Cuisine: American, Sonoran

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 524
Sugar: 21.2 g
Sodium: 731 mg
Fat: 32.8 g
Carbohydrates: 28.3 g
Protein: 27.2 g
Cholesterol: 107 mg