Slow Cooker Rodeo Sloppy Joes

Slow Cooker Rodeo Sloppy Joes are everything we love about the classic, zesty beef sandwich and then some. These are loaded with ground beef, bacon, BBQ sauce, and a few other ingredients to take regular sloppy Joes to the next level!

sloppy joe sandwich held in a woman's hand in the air

Sloppy Joes are one of our favorite sandwiches to make, but after making them so many times, they got a bit stale. That’s why we love this variation that introduces even more delicious flavors to our favorite classic.

These Slow Cooker Rodeo Sloppy Joes are going to be your new favorite weeknight meal!! All the ingredients come together to make a thick, rich sloppy joe that you top with crispy onion rings for a fabulous dinner! Inspired by those delicious rodeo burgers from the drive thru.

slow cooker rodeo sloppy joe on a light blue plate with french fries

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It only takes a few simple ingredients to make.
  • It’s an even more flavorful take on everyone’s favorite classic.
  • Sloppy Joes make a great family dinner or a delicious addition to parties and potlucks.

🛒Ingredients

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This recipe uses simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store. The main ingredients are listed here, but you’ll find the complete ingredient list along with amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.

  • Browned and drained ground beef
  • Cooked, diced bacon
  • Onion
  • Bell pepper
  • BBQ sauce
  • Brown sugar
  • Oatmeal
  • Frozen onion rings
  • American cheese

🔪 How to Make Slow Cooker Rodeo Sloppy Joes

Making these delicious sloppy Joes is as easy as it gets. It only takes a few minutes of prep, then the slow cooker does all the work!

ground beef, sauce, peppers, onions, brown sugar and bacon in a slow cooker liner

Step 1: Add the Ingredients

Add the ground beef; cooked, diced bacon; diced onion; diced bell pepper; water; oatmeal; BBQ sauce; and brown sugar. Stir to combine.

sloppy joe mixture on a metal spoon in a slow cooker liner

Step 2: Cook

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

Step 3: Cook the Onion Rings

Just before serving the sloppy Joes, cook the onion rings according to the bag directions.

Step 4: Make the Sloppy Joes

Place a slice of cheese on the bottom of a bun and then add the sloppy Joe mixture. Top with 2 onion rings and enjoy!

slow cooker rodeo sloppy joe on a light blue plate with french fries

📝Variations

Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!

  • Spicy – Add diced jalapenos for a kick of heat and more flavor.
  • Buns – Try making these sloppy Joes with Texas toast, instead.
  • Ground Beef – You can make this recipe with ground turkey, pork, or even chorizo.

If you think these sloppy Joes look good, then check out our slow cooker Mexican sloppy Joes.

🥄 Equipment

  • Measuring cups
  • Skillet
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Wooden spoon
  • Slow cooker
  • Baking sheet

🥫 Storage

You can store the sloppy Joe mixture in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months in an air-tight, freeze-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.

💭 Tips

  • Always drain your beef before making this dish. Even lean ground beef has some fat, and you don’t want greasy sloppy Joes.
  • Cook your bacon over medium heat so it can get nice and crispy without burning.
  • For more flavor and texture, add a bit of butter to the cut-side of the buns and toast them in a skillet.

⁉️ FAQ

Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.

Where do sloppy Joes come from?

No one knows for sure, but the popular story is that they were first made in a cafe in Sioux City, Iowa. It’s said that in 1930, a cook named Joe added tomato sauce to his loose meat sandwiches. Thus, the sloppy Joe was born.

Why are my sloppy Joes greasy?

You either didn’t drain your meat or you didn’t drain it enough. It’s important to thoroughly drain your beef before making the sloppy Joe mixture.

How do you reheat sloppy Joes?

Simply add the mixture to a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until heated through.

🍽 More Recipes

Do you enjoy slow cooker recipes? Then try these delicious recipes:

📌 PIN IT!!

sloppy joe sandwich held in a woman's hand in the air with the name in text for pinterest

🧾Recipe Card

Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.

sloppy joe sandwich held in a woman's hand in the air

Slow Cooker Rodeo Sloppy Joes

These slow cooker rodeo sloppy Joes take classic sloppy Joes and add bacon, BBQ sauce, and a few other ingredients for a tasty twist.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 566kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring cups
  • Skillet
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Wooden spoon
  • slow cooker
  • baking sheet

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef browned and drained
  • 8 slices cooked bacon diced
  • Small onion diced
  • Small green bell pepper diced
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ¼ cup oatmeal
  • 6 buns
  • 12 frozen breaded onion rings cooked to bag directions
  • 6 slices American cheese

Instructions

  • Into your slow cooker add your cooked and drained ground beef, cooked diced bacon, diced onion, diced bell pepper, water, oatmeal, BBQ sauce and brown sugar.
  • Stir to combine.
  • Cook on low 4-6 hours.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place a slice of cheese on the bottom bun and place your sloppy joe mixture on top. Top with 2 onion rings.
  • Serve!

Notes

Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 566kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1400mg | Potassium: 605mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 309IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 258mg | Iron: 14mg

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