Sloppy Joe Egg Rolls

Certain occasions…call for deep frying. Don’t ask questions. Don’t think about the calories. Just do it. It’s not going to feel right while it’s happening. It’s going to seem scary, and messy, and like maybe you should be eating carrot sticks. But don’t let that stop you. Don’t do it every day, but do it when it counts. Do it to make people happy. Do it to make yourself happy. Do it to say you did it, and then enjoy eating every tasty little bit.

 

Maybe someday I’ll try a healthy take on the sloppy joe, but, till then, here’s what happens when you stuff it in an egg roll and fry it to crispy perfection…

 

 

Sloppy Joe Eggrolls

Ingredients

 

        for the dip:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• salt & pepper

        for the egg rolls:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1.5 pounds ground beef
• 1 15.5 ounces can original Manwich sloppy joe mix
• 1 package egg roll wrappers
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 48 ounce jug of canola or vegetable oil

 Directions

1. To prepare the dip, whisk together the first four ingredients. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Keep in the refrigerator till ready to serve.
2. To prepare the egg roll filling, heat the butter in a large saucepan over med/high heat.
3. Add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon.  Cook till crumbly and browned through.
4. Set a strainer over a bowl. Pour the cooked beef into the strainer, and let sit for 10 minutes for the grease to drain off.
5. Once drained, in a separate bowl, combine the sloppy joe mix and the cooked beef; mix thoroughly.
6. Add the canola oil to a medium-sized heavy bottom pan. Heat until the oil reached 350 degrees.
7. While the oil is heating, pour the water into a small dish and set to the side.
8. To prepare the egg rolls, lay one wrapper on a flat surface, and scoop 1/4 cup of the beef mix to the center. Flatten the mixture with a spatula or knife and spread it in a horizontal line toward opposite corners, leaving a half inch border (see picture below).
9. Fold the bottom corner of the wrapper toward the center, then fold in the sides, then continue rolling into an egg roll shape. Just before the last corner is rolled up, dip your finger in the bowl of water and run along the corner edges of the wrapper to seal.  Then finish rolling.
10. Continue rolling each egg roll and arrange on a cookie shoot or large platter to prepare to fry.
11. Once the oil is heated, add a few egg rolls at a time and cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Continue frying in batches.
12. Serve immediately, with the dip.

      Makes one dozen rolls.

 

 

PS…for the diehards.