National Sloppy Joe Day

There have been several claims to the origin of the sloppy Joe. One claim states that the sandwich made its debut in 1920, Havana, Cuba. A bartender called José Abel Otero. José created and successfully sold a simple sandwich based on a Cuban dish of shredded beef, tomato sauce, and spices called Ropa Vieja.

He also sold iced seafood, which would often melt and get the bar floor wet and sloppy. Since José was known for the sandwich and wet bar floors, customers linked the two and called him ‘sloppy Joe.’ Ironically, the name stuck to both him and the sandwich.

Some years later, Nobel prize winner and popular writer, Ernest Hemingway, who was a patron of the Havana bar, suggested a friend, Joe Russel, who had just set up a
the restaurant in Key West, Florida, serves the sandwich but rebrands it as the ‘Havana sandwich.’

Another origin story dictates that the Joe may have been a variation of the very common ‘loose meat’ sandwiches of the 1930s. At a Cafe in Sioux City, a cook named Joe added some tomato sauce to the loose meat, giving birth to the goodness known as the sloppy Joe.

In 1969, Hunt’s, a ketchup maker, introduced the ‘Manwich,’ which made a more convenient way to prepare the sloppy Joe. The Manwich was a can containing the sloppy Joe sauce and was promoted as more than just a sandwich.

NATIONAL SLOPPY JOE DAY  FAQS 

What is the difference between the Manwich and sloppy Joe?

What is the difference between a sloppy Joe and a hamburger?

How do you make a sloppy Joe at home?

HOW TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL SLOPPY JOE DAY

• Make your sloppy Joes
  Go sloppy by making these delicious sandwiches in your house. You can tweak the recipe and enjoy it with your family.
• Go out for sloppy Joes
  Celebrate this holiday by trying out a unique sloppy Joe in an eatery. Just in case your D.I.Y. sloppy Joe is a flop, or you just don’t want to cook, go-to food places that serve this awesome sandwich.
• Host a sloppy contest 
  Have fun with friends and family! Throw a sloppy Joe contest and crown the person who makes the tastiest sandwich.

5 FACTS ABOUT THE SLOPPY JOE

It goes by many names
Sloppy Joes are also called yum-yum, slush burger, dynamite, Manwich, and barbecue.

Meet Joe’s sister, Jane
Though they are the same thing, the sloppy Jane is considered the healthier version of sloppy Joe.

More than beef
The ground beef filling can be replaced with chicken, chuck roast, and turkey.

Open to vegans
The sloppy Joe recipe is also modified to suit vegans.

For a tight budget
Sloppy Joes were first created for those with small food budgets.

WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL SLOPPY JOE DAY

• We love the distinct taste of a sloppy Joe
  Sloppy Joes have a unique taste. It is addictive, and most of us just can’t get enough of them. We celebrate this holiday to share our love for the sandwich.
• We experiment
  We try sloppy Joes with different toppings that we love. We can explore the craziest fillings and have fun.
• We make memories
  This day is another chance to celebrate good food and make memories with our friends and family. We take pictures and albums that will serve as reminders.