Twenty five minutes from a cold pan to sandwiches on the table. No canned sauce, no packet mix.

Four servings, and the seasoning comes from a steak spice blend rather than a long list of individual spices.

Steak seasoning does the work

A tablespoon of Montreal-style steak seasoning, which is a coarse blend of black pepper, garlic, salt, coriander, dill and paprika.

It replaces five or six separate additions, and the coarse grind is deliberate. Coarse spice stays perceptible in a saucy mixture where fine powder would dissolve and disappear.

If you do not have it, a mix of coarse black pepper, garlic powder, coriander and a little salt gets close.

A quarter cup of Worcestershire

Which is a great deal, and it is what makes this taste of something rather than of tomato and sugar.

Worcestershire brings anchovy, tamarind, molasses and vinegar at once. Against a pound and a quarter of beef it provides savoury depth, acidity and a little sweetness in a single ingredient.

In a kosher kitchen this needs attention, since Worcestershire contains anchovies. Look for a certification mark not accompanied by a fish notation, which indicates a sauce that may be used in a meat dish.

Tomato paste, not sauce

Two tablespoons, which is a small amount and concentrated.

Sloppy joes made with tomato sauce or ketchup come out wet and need long simmering to thicken. Paste is already reduced, so it brings tomato depth without liquid, and the mixture stays thick from the start.

Combined with the brown sugar it also gives the dark red colour people expect.

Soften the vegetables first

Onion and green pepper, finely chopped, five minutes in olive oil before the beef.

Finely chopped is what the recipe specifies and it matters in a sandwich filling. Large pieces of pepper fall out of the roll when you bite it. Fine dice disappears into the mixture.

Green pepper specifically rather than red. It is sharper and slightly bitter, which cuts through the brown sugar in a way sweet red pepper would not.

Ten minutes on low at the end

After the sugar, seasoning, Worcestershire and paste go in.

This is where the mixture goes from browned beef with things stirred through it to a sauce. The Worcestershire reduces, the sugar dissolves and starts to caramelise slightly, and the paste loosens into the meat.

Low heat and occasional stirring. Higher and the sugar catches on the bottom of the pan.

Ground beef and temperature

A pound and a quarter, browned about five minutes while breaking it up.

Ground beef should reach an internal temperature of 160F. The recipe works on appearance, which is generally reliable for thoroughly browned crumbled beef, and the further ten minutes of simmering afterwards puts it comfortably past.

Dark brown sugar, not light

Two tablespoons, and the recipe specifies dark.

Dark brown sugar has considerably more molasses in it, which brings a deeper, slightly bitter caramel note rather than straightforward sweetness. Against beef and Worcestershire that depth is what you want.

Light brown sugar works and the result is sweeter and less complex. White sugar is the one to avoid, since it adds sweetness with no character at all.

Toast the rolls

Crusty rolls split and toasted, which the recipe specifies rather than leaving optional.

A sloppy joe is wet by design and an untoasted roll turns to paste within a minute. Toasting the cut faces creates a barrier that holds up long enough to eat the sandwich. <p>Crusty rather than soft. A brioche or a plain burger bun collapses under this filling. ## Making it ahead The filling keeps three days refrigerated and reheats well in a pan with a splash of water. It also freezes for three months. Toast the rolls fresh; there is no reheating a soggy bun.

Serving it

A spoon alongside is not a bad idea. This is called sloppy for a reason and the filling will fall out as you eat.

Pickles, a slice of cheese melted on top, or coleslaw in the roll all work well against the sweetness.