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–+ servings
Glass jars filled with manwich sitting on a tea towel. Gold lids on the glass jars labeled with "manwich" on top.

Canning Sloppy Joe Starter: A Shelf-Stable Family Favorite

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!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Processing Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: 10 pints

Equipment

  • Large Stockpot
  • Pressure canner
  • Canning jars (pint or quart)
  • Canning lids and rings
  • Jar lifter, funnel, magnetic lid wand, and debubbler
  • Clean cloth
  • Measuring cups
  • Ladle

Ingredients

  • 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

Instructions

How to Make Sloppy Joe Sauce

  • 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.

How to Pressure Can Sloppy Joe Sauce

  • 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.