This homemade Sloppy Joe starter is made with ground beef, peppers, onions, and a rich tomato based sauce, perfect for pressure canning and shelf-stable meal prep. Just heat, serve, and enjoy an easy dinner in minutes!

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Glass canning jars filled with homemade manwich sitting on a table.

If there’s one pantry staple that saves dinnertime again and again at our homestead, it’s this canned Sloppy Joe starter. Sweet, savory, and just the right amount of tangy, this homemade sloppy joe base is packed with flavor and pressure canned for shelf-stable convenience. Whether you’re feeding a crew or just prepping ahead, this recipe is a game-changer for quick, comforting meals.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to make and can your own Sloppy Joe starter safely at home using a pressure canner, plus share my favorite ways to use it once it’s on the shelf.

Why Can Sloppy Joe Starter?

Store-bought Manwich might be convenient, but it’s often full of additives, corn syrup, and preservatives we try to avoid. This homemade Sloppy Joe sauce for canning is made from real food ingredients, things you likely already grow or have in your pantry.

Canning your own Sloppy Joe starter means:

No last-minute meal planning stress
You control the ingredients (skip the junk)
It’s a perfect way to use up extra tomatoes
Saves money by using what you already have

Plus, this sloppy joe starter recipe is incredibly versatile. You can use it traditionally on buns or as a base for casseroles, stuffed peppers, baked potatoes, or even taco filling!

Ingredients You’ll Need

To make and can your sloppy joe base, you’ll need:

16 cups tomato sauce
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2 green bell peppers (finely chopped)
2 red bell peppers (finely chopped)
5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons hot sauce (optional, use whatever hot sauce you prefer)
1 cup ketchup
3 6-ounce cans of tomato paste
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons mustard powder

How to Make Sloppy Joe Starter

Tomato sauce Add the tomato sauce to a large stockpot and begin heating over medium heat.
Add the vegetables
Add chopped onions and peppers to the pot. Cook over medium-high heat for 30 minutes.
Stir in the sauce ingredients
Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, hot sauce, tomato paste, salt, pepper, onion powder, and mustard powder. Stir to combine and let simmer for about 10–15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Simmer and thicken
The mixture should be thick but spoonable. Let it simmer until it reaches a thick, saucy consistency.

Ingredients for homemade manwich in a large stainless steel stockpot.

How to Pressure Can Sloppy Joe Starter

This sloppy joe starter is a meat-free sauce designed for pressure canning and long-term storage — just add browned ground beef or venison later when you’re ready to serve. Because it’s a low-acid food (thanks to ingredients like peppers and onions), it must still be pressure canned to be shelf-stable. For safe canning practices and tested guidelines for low-acid foods, I always recommend referring to the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s canning guide. While this recipe doesn’t include meat during the canning process, it’s a helpful resource if you’re planning to pressure can meat-based meals in the future.

Tools You’ll Need:

Pressure canner (NOT a pressure cooker)
Quart or pint jars, lids, and rings
Canning funnel
Magnetic lid wand
Bubble remover

Canning Instructions:

Prepare jars and lids
Wash and sanitize your jars. Keep them warm until ready to fill. Heat your lids and rings according to manufacturer instructions.
Fill the jars
Ladle hot sloppy joe starter into hot jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles and wipe rims clean.
Apply lids and rings
Center lids on jars and screw on rings until fingertip tight.
Process in pressure canner
Process at 10 lbs pressure (adjust for altitude):
- Pints: 50 minutes
- Quarts: 60 minutes
Cool and store
Let the pressure come down naturally. Remove jars and let them sit undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals, wash, label, and store in a cool, dark place.

Tips for the Best Canned Sloppy Joe Starter

Skip thickeners (like flour or cornstarch) before canning, these should be added after opening if needed.
Season moderately and adjust to taste when reheating.
For variety, try ground venison, turkey, or even lentils for a vegetarian option post-canning.

How to Use Canned Sloppy Joe Base

Once canned and cooled, this starter can sit on your shelf for up to a year (or longer if stored well). Here’s how we love to use it:

Classic Sloppy Joes: Just heat, add ground beef, and serve on homemade buns!
Stuffed Peppers: Pour into halved bell peppers, add ground beef, and bake with cheese on top.
Baked Potatoes: Load up a baked potato with Sloppy Joe sauce and shredded cheddar.
Sloppy Joe Pasta Bake: Mix with cooked pasta and bake with cheese.
Quick Tacos: Spoon into shells, top with slaw or lettuce.

Why This Recipe Works for Homesteaders

This canned Sloppy Joe starter is perfect for using up your garden harvest, think tomatoes, peppers, and onions. It’s one of those hearty, real-food recipes that makes weeknight dinners stress-free without relying on boxed or bottled sauces.

If you’re new to pressure canning, this is also a great beginner recipe with simple steps and satisfying results.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

If you’re stocking your pantry or planning cozy family meals, here are a few more homemade favorites to try:

Homemade Sandwich Bread – Soft, fluffy, and perfect for piling high with sloppy joe filling. This simple loaf is made from scratch and bakes up beautifully every time.
Homemade Ketchup Using Garden Fresh Tomatoes – Ditch the store-bought stuff and make your own ketchup with homegrown flavor. It pairs perfectly with all your favorite comfort foods.
Redskin Mashed Potatoes – Creamy, buttery, and full of flavor, these mashed potatoes are the ultimate side dish, especially alongside hearty sloppy joes.

These recipes come straight from our homestead kitchen to yours, real food, made simple.

Having this pressure canned sloppy joe starter on hand is like having a homemade meal in a jar, ready whenever you need it. Whether you’re preserving summer’s abundance or just want to prep for busy fall evenings, this is a must-have in your pantry.

Let me know in the comments how you use your Sloppy Joe starter, or tag me on Instagram when you make it, I love seeing how you are using these real food recipes!

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