Sloppy Dorothy Sandwich
Summer is finally starting to wind down, and we all know what that means... football season is coming. And that means tailgating and watch parties. What's a ball game without tasty foods that are easy to make and well liked by everyone? We're talking the classics - hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, brats, and one of my personal favorites, the Sloppy Joe.
Pretty much everyone knows about Sloppy Joe sandwiches, and has probably eaten a few over the years. But leave it to someone to come up with their own version, which brings us to this week's dish. Have you ever heard of a Sloppy Dorothy sandwich? No, I hadn't either, but when I stumbled across a recipe for making them I figured I'd take a closer look.
The history of the Sloppy Dorothy takes us to the Midwest in the 1940s. A lady by the name of Dorothy Lynch made a homemade salad dressing that was served at a local establishment called the Legion's Club in St. Paul, Nebraska. The story goes that people came from miles around for her dressing, even going so far as to bring empty bottles to be filled with it to take home. From that beginning, it later became commercially produced and is available today in both original and fat-free varieties.
While it looks like a type of French salad dressing, it's made with a tomato base instead of oil, and with the combination of spices Dorothy used this gives it a unique sweet-spicy taste. People found uses for it that went well beyond its original purpose as a salad dressing including dips, marinades, and as an ingredient in dishes like this one.
In comparison to a Sloppy Joe, which in many recipes uses a sauce that is reminiscent of a tangy barbecue, a Sloppy Dorothy has a lighter, sweeter taste. It makes for a nice change when you want to offer something different to your crew as they watch the weekly games.
Adapted from An Affair From The Heart
A variation on the classic Sloppy Joe sandwich, using a popular salad dressing first made in Nebraska in the 1940s.
Adapted from An Affair From The Heart
- 3 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup Dorothy Lynch Salad Dressing
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 12 ounces water
- 4 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 16 hamburger buns
In a large skillet combine ground beef, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until the meat is browned, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess grease.
Add the Dorothy Lynch dressing, tomato paste, water, honey, Worcestershire sauce, ground mustard, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix thoroughly. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
Serve on hamburger buns. Top with dill pickles and cheese slices if desired.
Servings 16
Serving Size 1 sandwich (bun + approx. 5 oz. meat)
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 376kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 11.3g18%
- Saturated Fat 3.9g20%
- Cholesterol 76mg26%
- Sodium 561mg24%
- Potassium 664mg19%
- Total Carbohydrate 36.8g13%
- Dietary Fiber 1.9g8%
- Sugars 16.1g
- Protein 30g60%
- Calcium 80 mg
- Iron 5 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
- These can also be served as sliders by substituting slider buns in place of the regular hamburger buns (Hawaiian sweet rolls can also be used).
- The nutritional information includes the hamburger bun.
- Suggested toppings:
- Dill pickle slices
- American or Cheddar cheese
- Jalapeno pepper slices