There are mythical things in Iowa/South Dakota called taverns, and everyone has an idea about how these are made. I always thought my grandma made the best, so this recipe is a bit of an homage to her.
I don't know why I was craving these lately, but they sounded good to me. So, the traditional taverns are pretty plain meat, simple spices and not very saucy. You add mustard, onions and pickles on the bun. My grandma's version had most of these flavors incorporated into the tavern. I updated the recipe for my tastes, so my husband calls these "Sloppy Lisa's"...maybe they are "Tavern Vi's" after Grandma....
Tavern Sloppy Joes
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1 teaspoon ground garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Brown hamburger in a large skillet. Add onions and green pepper, and saute until tender. Stir in tomato soup, and remaining ingredients. Simmer over low heat until thick, serve on buns with cheese and pickles.The version you see here are sliders served with shredded cheddar and pickled onions.
