TBC's Sloppy Birds
This is a tasty alternative to the sloppy joe. I'm always looking for ways to incorporate ground turkey or chicken into my meals, as my girlfriend doesn't eat beef. However, I love a sloppy joe, so I decided to create a version using ground turkey. The result is a delicious and flavorful dish that is perfect for a casual meal.
This is a tasty alternative to the sloppy joe. I'm always looking for ways to incorporate ground turkey or chicken into my meals, as my girlfriend doesn't eat beef. However, I love a sloppy joe, so I decided to create a version using ground turkey. The result is a delicious and flavorful dish that is perfect for a casual meal.
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey not too lean
- 4 wheat hamburger buns toasted (or other hamburger roll)
- 1/2 bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 1/2 medium red onion finely chopped
- 1 serrano chiles finely chopped
- 8 ounces tomato sauce any brand
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 3/4 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch black pepper to taste
- Carbohydrate 15.1858022820655 g
- Cholesterol 73.708760125 mg
- Fat 5.18151232258187 g
- Fiber 2.1624856815158 g
- Protein 26.1588785535589 g
- Saturated Fat 1.37540632787509 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (244g)
- Sodium 993.750135651992 mg
- Sugar 13.0233166005497 g
- Trans Fat 0.69232241643506 g
- Calories 214 calories
Step-by-step
- If you want to have a NON-SPICY Sloppy Bird, OMIT the Serrano chili and the red pepper flakes!
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat
- Add turkey once oil is hot, and while cooking, break down the ground turkey into tiny pieces, continue to cook and breakdown for about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the bell pepper, chili, onion and mix well
- In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, poultry seasoning, and sugar and mix well, then add to the pan, stir and reduce heat to low
- Cover and let simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. While this is going on, toast your buns and make your sweet potato fries.. yup! That's right, sweet potato fries go great with this sand!
- To serve, use a ice cream scoop and put 2 - 3 scoops of the turkey onto the bun. Serve with Sweet Potato fries, (or other )
What happens when you substitute lean ground beef with poultry in a classic saucy sandwich? Ground turkey lacks the high fat content of beef, meaning it requires deliberate moisture management during the initial browning phase. Selecting a grind with adequate fat content prevents the meat from drying out in the skillet before the tomato sauce is introduced. Extra virgin olive oil added to the pan compensates for poultry's natural leanness, coating the protein to encourage even browning over medium-high heat.
Aromatic vegetables like bell peppers and red onions demand precise preparation when they share a pan with fine-textured meat. Finely chopping these aromatics ensures they integrate seamlessly into the mixture rather than dominating individual bites with large, crunchy pieces. SERRANO chilis and red pepper flakes supply direct heat, which can be easily scaled up or down depending on tolerance. Omitting the chili peppers entirely shifts the flavor profile toward savory sweetness driven by light brown sugar and poultry seasoning.
Simmering the combined sauce and meat mixture on low heat for ten to fifteen minutes allows the starches in the tomato sauce to thicken while absorbing the Worcestershire sauce's umami depth. Covering the skillet traps steam, ensuring the poultry cooks through without scorching the sugars in the sauce. Toasting the wheat hamburger buns beforehand creates a structural barrier against the moisture of the filling, preventing the bread from turning soggy upon assembly.
Adapting this dish for diners avoiding red meat or gluten requires only minor adjustments to the base components. Swapping standard wheat rolls for certified gluten-free hamburger buns preserves the intended format without altering the preparation of the turkey filling. Poultry seasoning naturally bridges the gap left by traditional beef-focused spice blends, delivering robust herbaceous notes.
