#28 North Dakota: Sloppy Joe

Sandwich #28: North Dakota, Sloppy Joe

I was afraid of this sandwich a little bit, to be honest, and most of that fear was caused by one thing... Gumbo. Other than ground beef, it is the main ingredient here. This recipe became famous in North Dakota because of one restaurant, The Kegs Drive-In. Around here, "Drive-In" implies that there will be a giant screen, a lot of exhaust fumes, intermission commercials and more mosquitoes than can be tolerated in one experience. Apparently, in North Dakota, none of that is true. This is just a drive-up restaurant with quick and famously good food. Taking main stage there is this Sloppy Joe sided with onion rings and rootbeer. 

Click for recipe

 I can say, it really was good! Henry gave it an 8 out of 10, I wound up around a 7, and Nora was at a 6. Also around here, at least in my own childhood experience, Sloppy Joes came in a can. Remember it? That gender-defining meat sauce? The "Manwich." Take from this what you will, but I was never really a fan. Too sweet, too gelatinous. Still, nice try with the phallic affirmation Hunt's Co. The chicken gumbo soup really lent this more of a spicy and grounded flavour that I think did the sandwich a pretty big service. It is super easy to make, probably as easy as its Machismo inclined cousin was at least.