Categories: Main Meal

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced carrots (and/or 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper)
• 1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt to taste
• 1 1/4 -1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 cup ketchup (I use organic or natural)
• 2 cups tomato sauce or 1 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, pureed
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar (I use less)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Pinch cayenne pepper or dash Tabasco sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Hamburger buns

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. (If you are using bell pepper instead of carrots, add those at the same time as the onions.) Add the chopped onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent, about 5 more minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Remove from heat. Remove vegetables from the pan to a medium sized bowl, set aside.

2. Using the same pan (or you can cook the meat at the same time as the vegetables in a separate pan to save time), generously salt the bottom of the pan (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon). Heat the pan on high. Crumble the ground beef into the pan. You will likely need to do this in two batches, otherwise you will crowd the pan and the beef won’t easily brown. Do not stir the ground beef, just let it cook until it is well browned on one side. Then flip the pieces over and brown the second side. Use a slotted spoon to remove the ground beef from the pan (can add to the set-aside vegetables), salt the pan again and repeat with the rest of the ground beef. (I skip this step and just brown the meat with the softened vegetables and drain.) Strain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.

3. Return the cooked ground beef and vegetables to the pan. Add the ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and brown sugar to the pan. Stir to mix well. Add ground cloves, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Lower the heat to medium low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.

4. Serve with toasted hamburger buns.

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