However, it can be incredibly frustrating and disappointing when the products that are designed to make things easier for you, actually don’t add very much at all to the meal.
Manwich is just such a product. It is designed to improve the flavor of your sloppy joes, however, it doesn’t necessarily create the most flavorful sloppy joe.
With that being said, there are some easy ways to doctor up your Manwich sloppy joes to make them some of the best sloppy joes around.
There are plenty of different combinations of ingredients that you can add to your can of Manwich sloppy joes to make them better than ever.
5 Easy Ways To Doctor Up Manwich Sloppy Joes
There are so many ways that you can improve the flavor and texture of your Manwich sloppy joes.
All of these methods can be used by themselves, however, they work best when they are all used together. This way, you can make the ultimate Manwich sloppy joes with each aspect of the sandwich fully optimized.
In this article, we will show you the best ways to improve your Manwich sloppy joes with just a few simple steps.
1. Your Meat Is Important
The base of any good sloppy joe is the meat. Without using the right meat, your sloppy joe is never going to be as flavorful as it could be.
It isn’t just the quality of the meat that you use that is important, the type of meat that you use plays a huge part in creating the flavor of your sloppy joes.
Most people use just ground beef in their sloppy joes but this isn’t the best way to make the most of these sandwiches. To take your sloppy joes to the next level, you should use two different kinds of meat.
Adding ground sausage to your ground beef helps to improve the texture and flavor of the Manwich sloppy joes.
The ground sausage meat adds beautiful seasoning and spice to the sloppy joes that are missing when you just use ground beef.
Swapping from ground beef to ground sausage meat isn’t going to improve your sloppy joes. The texture and the flavor aren’t quite right by themselves and you might end up deviating too far from sloppy joes.
Mixing the two types of meat together means that you keep the texture of the ground beef and the spice and seasoning of the sausage meat. The ratio of the meat should be half and half.
If you are using half a pound of ground beef, you should use half a pound of ground sausage meat. This way, you get the best of both worlds.
You can also make a big batch of this meat blend and freeze the parts you don’t use for later. The meat freezes well and keeps for a long time so you don’t have to worry about wasting it.
Remember, it is important to make sure that you are using the highest quality meat that you can get to make the most out of your sloppy joes.
This rule applies to both ground beef and ground sausage meat. The higher the quality of meat you use, the higher quality your sandwiches will be.
2. Veggies Are Your Friend
Once you have perfected your sloppy joes meat blend, it is time to look at the extras that you can add to your Manwich to enhance the flavor further.
When you think of a Manwich sloppy joe, your first thought probably isn’t of vegetables. However, they really are your friend when it comes to doctoring up a sloppy joe.
There are so many different vegetables that you can add to your sloppy joes to enhance the flavor.
Below are some examples of vegetables that work really well in Manwich sloppy joes. You can mix and match them to find out which ones you like best.
Onions
This is a bit of an obvious one. No sloppy joe is ever complete without some diced, cooked onions in the sauce.
Not only do onions add a more rounded flavor to the sloppy joe, but they also add extra texture to the sauce which adds to the sloppy joe experience.
Jalapenos
If you want to add a little bit of a kick to your sloppy joes, adding one or two chopped jalapenos is just what you need.
Make sure to cook the jalapeno with the beef to properly infuse the flavors. Cooking the jalapenos and beef at the same time doesn’t necessarily make the sloppy joe spicy. Instead, it adds a subtle flavor that has a little kick behind it.
Green Bell Peppers
Out of all the bell peppers you can get, green peppers are the best for adding to your Manwich sloppy joes.
The flavor of green peppers is different from red and orange peppers which might be too sweet for sloppy joes. They can also provide a nice subtle crunch to the sandwich.
Chopped Celery
Another great addition to Manwich sloppy joes is chopped celery. This can be a great way to use up any leftover celery from your refrigerator before it goes bad.
Not only does celery provide a great crunch to the sandwich but it also has a distinctive flavor that compliments the Manwich sloppy joe perfectly.
3. Don’t Be Afraid To Use Flavor Enhancers
The meat and vegetables make up the bulk of the Manwich sloppy joes, and the texture of the sandwich is sorted. However, that is only half of what turns a regular sloppy joe into an amazing sloppy joe.
One of the most important parts of doctoring up a sloppy joe is the sauce which can be improved using flavor enhancers.
The types of flavor enhancers that you want to add to your sloppy joe sauce will largely depend on your personal preference.
However, it is important to remember that the consistency of the sauce is what can make or break your Manwich sloppy joes.
The regular version of the Manwich sauce tends to be on the sweeter side, whereas the bold version is a little more on the spicy side in comparison.
In all honesty, the bold version isn’t really that spicy, especially if you enjoy spicy food.
Before we start adding various flavor enhancers to the Manwich sauce, it is important to understand what is already in the sauce. This can help us to properly enhance the flavors.
In the regular Manwich sauce, the ingredients are tomato paste, high fructose corn syrup, dried green and red bell peppers, vinegar, carrot fiber, garlic, chili pepper, citric acid, and spices.
Knowing what is in the basic sauce, we can begin to think about how we are going to enhance it.
The easiest way to enhance any sauce is by adding spices and seasoning. Not only does this add new flavors, but it can also help to enhance the flavors that are already in the sauce.
BBQ Sauce
This is the easiest and quickest way to enhance the Manwich sauce.
Adding your favorite BBQ sauce to the Manwich sauce instantly boosts the flavor and adds a brilliant tang to it. If you enjoy eating BBQ sloppy joes, this is the only ingredient that you need to add.
Worcestershire Sauce
To add a simple flavor enhancement to your sloppy joe sauce, a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce is all you need.
The flavors and ingredients in the Worcestershire sauce enhance the umami and the meatiness of the Manwich sauce.
Paprika And Cumin
These two spices pair really well with the flavors and ingredients that are already present in the Manwich sauce.
These are great options to add if you find the Manwich sauce to be too sweet as they enhance the savory flavor of the sauce.
Mustard
If you want to make the regular Manwich sauce feel more like the bold Manwich sauce, adding mustard is your best bet.
The bold Manwich sauce already contains some mustard, however, you can add more to give it more of a kick.
Chili, Sriracha, Or Hot Sauce
The regular Manwich sauce has no real spiciness to it and the bold Manwich sauce only has a small kick.
If you are a fan of spicy food and you want to add a bit more heat to your sauce, chili flakes, sriracha sauce, and other hot sauces are a great way to spice up the sauce without affecting the consistency of the sauce.
Cinnamon
This one might sound a little bit odd, but it provides a subtle but effective change to the sauce.
The cinnamon brings the warmth of the sauce to the forefront and which gives it a different flavor overall.
Brown Sugar Or Maple Syrup
This is another slightly odd ingredient to add but it has a surprising effect on the sauce. The regular Manwich sauce is already on the sweeter side, however, it is a little bit bland.
If you like sweet sauces, similar to BBQ, adding brown sugar or maple syrup to the sauce can help to give the sweetness a bit more depth. Make sure not to be too heavy-handed with this addition.
Red Wine Vinegar
The acidity of red wine vinegar helps to lift all of the flavors in the regular or bold Manwich sauces.
This is the perfect addition to the Manwich sauce to add a little bit of brightness to the sauce and separate the flavors more.
Liquid Smoke
An additional ingredient that works with almost any sauce you will ever make is liquid smoke.
You only need to use a tiny amount of this flavor enhancer, but it can add a beautiful smoky flavor to the bulk of your Manwich.
4. Toppings Make All The Difference
Now that we have sorted the bulk of the sloppy joes and the Manwich sauce, it is time to move on to the toppings. This is a separate aspect from the actual sloppy joe itself.
With that being said, as with any sandwich, it is the toppings that make all the difference between a good sandwich and a great sandwich.
There are plenty of toppings that you can use for your Manwich sloppy joe sandwich. However, there are a few that are guaranteed to enhance your sandwich further.
Cheese
The most obvious and common topping for the Manwich, and any sandwich for that matter, is cheese.
There are so many different types of cheese that you can choose from, each different type of cheese provides a slightly different flavor and texture to the sandwich.
However, the most popular type of cheese to put on your Manwich is a slice or two of American cheese. This cheese melts really easily from the warmth of the ground meat and sauce.
Bacon
Another incredibly popular Manwich topping is bacon. There are a couple of ways to use bacon as a topping for your Manwich.
The most common method is to cook a rasher or two of bacon until they are crispy, then lay them on top of the meat.
However, you can also crumble the crispy rashers or cook lardons. These can then be sprinkled onto the meat or the melted cheese to make it easier to eat.
Coleslaw
For some people, the ultimate sloppy joe topping is coleslaw. The vegetables of the coleslaw provide a beautiful and refreshing crunch in a sandwich that is usually quite soft.
The creamy mayonnaise provides a cooling effect that perfectly contrasts with the warmth of the meat and cheese.
Potato Chips
This might be a more unusual choice of topping for some people, however, for others, it will be exactly what they grew up with.
Adding a handful of your favorite potato chips to your sloppy joes provides a beautiful, solid crunch when you bite into it. You can either add full-sized potato chips or you can crush them up a little bit to help them fit.
Pickles
This is a common sloppy joe topping that provides lots of options and brings a beautiful tangy flavor to the sandwich.
You can choose from sweet pickles, dill pickles, butter pickles, or even pickled jalapenos. Each type of pickle will provide a slightly different flavor to the sandwich.
Fried Onions Or Crispy Onions
There are already fried onions in the sauce for the Manwich, however, there is no such thing as too much onion.
You can fry or caramelize some onions to use as a topping on your Manwich. You can also get some crispy onions to provide a slightly different texture to the sloppy joe.
Sauerkraut
This is a slightly less popular topping choice than coleslaw, however, it does have the same effect.
The fermented cabbage provides a wonderful crunch to the sandwich and the juice that it ferments in adds an extra tang to the sandwich.
Sour cream. Another good topping choice is sour cream. This is a particularly great topping if you have added extra spice to your sloppy joe sauce. The creaminess of the sour cream provides a cooling effect.
Hot sauce. If you haven’t added too much spice and heat to the meat or the sauce when preparing your sloppy joe Manwich, you can add some more as a topping.
The hot sauce will add a kick and can spread through the sauce once it has been added to the sandwich.
5. The Bun Is More Important Than You Think
Now that we have sorted out the bulk of the sloppy joe, the Manwich sauce, and the toppings, it is time to move on to the bun.
This might seem like an inconsequential aspect of the sandwich, however, the right bun can make all the difference.
The most commonly used bun for sloppy joes is a traditional hamburger bun. These are likely the easiest buns to find in the grocery store or the buns that you will already have in your pantry.
There is nothing particularly wrong with using a standard hamburger bun for your sloppy joes, they do the job just fine.
With that being said, there are a couple of simple ways that you can enhance the humble hamburger bun to match the level of your enhanced Manwich sloppy joe.
Toasting your hamburger buns makes all the difference to the flavor.
This is particularly true if you toast them with a small amount of butter or olive oil. This makes the bun richer and more appropriate for the Manwich.
If you want to upgrade your bun game, the standard hamburger buns have to give way to the superior brioche bun.
Brioche buns tend to be sweet which can complement the natural sweetness of the Manwich sauce. Again, toasting the brioche buns takes them to the next level and improves your Manwich.
Garlic bread. If you want to give yourself an extra special treat, it is possible to use slices of garlic bread instead of a bun.
The buttery, garlic flavor of the garlic bread is the perfect way to add an additional layer of flavoring.
This is a great option if you are concerned about the messiness that comes with eating sloppy joes in a bun. This is a particularly good option if you are eating with children.
Top Tips
Now that we have covered how to upgrade your Manwich sloppy joes, there are a few extra things you can do to make sure your Manwich sloppy joes are the best that your friends and family have ever tasted.
Choose The Right Sides
Other than the things that we have already talked about, the one thing that elevates your sloppy joes to the ultimate level is serving the right sides with the sloppy joes.
While the sandwich itself is super important, sides have the ability to make or break the meal you are serving. Below are some of the best sides to serve with your Manwich sloppy joes.
French Fries
This is a classic side that many people will expect to have with their sloppy joes. You can make them even better by making them from scratch and leaving the skin on to make them extra crispy.
Potato Chips
You can also serve your sloppy joes with some potato chips. This is the perfect way to add some crunch on the side of the Manwiches.
You can also easily add some of the potato chips into the sandwich to add some crunch when you bite into it.
Coleslaw
If you don’t want to add too many heavy sides, coleslaw is a great option. There are so many different slaw recipes that you can find online to make the perfect side to accompany your delicious, upgraded sandwiches.
Green Side Salad
If you want to introduce something more healthy to your meal, you can serve a green side salad with your Manwich sloppy joes.
This can help to provide a refreshing addition to the meal and keep things a little bit healthier.
Final Thoughts
Manwich sloppy joes are designed to help make cooking sloppy joes easier and quicker. However, they often don’t provide as much flavor or seasoning as you might like.
Thankfully, there are a few simple ways that you can enhance your Manwich sloppy joes without having to put too much effort into it. Follow these tips to make the best sloppy joes you’ve ever tasted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Freeze Sloppy Joe Mixture?
It is possible to freeze Manwich sloppy joe mixture that you aren’t going to use.
This is a great option if you don’t want to eat the leftovers in the next few days. It is best to freeze the sloppy joes when they have been cooked, not before.
Make sure that you use a freezer-safe container or bag. It is best to freeze it in individual portions for easier defrosting.
Remember to label your containers with the contents and the date it was frozen. Manwich sloppy joe mix can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Can Sloppy Joe Mixture Be Kept In The Fridge?
If you have leftover sloppy joe mix but don’t want to freeze it, it is possible to store the leftovers in the refrigerator. Make sure that you put the mixture into a sealed, airtight container.
It is important to remember that the sloppy joe mixture will only last for 3 days in your refrigerator. After this point, it may not be safe to eat the mix. If you thin
What Is The Best Way To Reheat Sloppy Joe Mix?
If you have stored your mix in the refrigerator or the freezer, you might want to know the best way to reheat the leftovers.
If you have frozen the sloppy joe mix, it is best to allow the portions to defrost naturally at room temperature. However, if you are short on time, you can put the container in the microwave or oven and set it to defrost.
Once the mix is defrosted, the best way to reheat it is in a pan on the stovetop. Make sure that you reheat the mix slowly and ensure that it is heated all the way through before serving.
Should You Drain The Grease From A Manwich?
Cooking with ground beef and ground sausage meat, there is always going to be a lot of water and grease that is released from the meat.
Once you have finished cooking the meat, it is a good idea to drain the excess grease from the pan. This step isn’t stated on the Manwich can, however, it is still a good step to avoid greasy sloppy joes.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Manwich?
After you have cooked the meat all the way through, you will need to add the Manwich sauce to the pan. At this point, it should only take around 5 minutes until your sloppy joes are ready. Simply heat the sauce until it is heated all the way through before serving.
Have you ever made something so delicious that you wished you could savor it forever?
Only to find that the recipe has now mysteriously vanished from your phone and the entirety of the internet. Yep, there’s not much more painful than that.
Hi, my name is Mark Williams and I have been infatuated with cooking since I was young. I would beg my mother to pull a chair up to the counter so I could watch what she was doing.
