# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb ground beef, 80/20 ratio recommended
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce & Seasonings
05 - 1 cup tomato sauce
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 2 tbsp ketchup
08 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
09 - 1 tbsp brown sugar, packed
10 - 1 tsp yellow mustard
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1/4 tsp chili powder, optional
→ To Serve
15 - 4 soft hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted
16 - Dill pickle slices, optional
# How To Make It:
01 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, approximately 5–6 minutes. Drain excess fat if desired.
02 - Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and minced garlic to the skillet with the beef. Sauté until vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes.
03 - Pour in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and chili powder if using. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
04 - Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the sauce has thickened and flavors have melded together.
05 - Sample the mixture and adjust salt, pepper, or sweetener as needed to achieve the desired balance of tangy and sweet flavors.
06 - Spoon the beef mixture generously onto the bottom half of each toasted bun. Add pickles if desired and top with the remaining bun half. Serve immediately while hot.
