Sloppy Joe Spicy Casserole or Panade de Jean Inonde?

Someone better at French may have to correct that title translation. This dish began with an urge to make a panade, with a loaf of day-old (truthfully more) bread, and wanting at the same time to use up that hamburger in the fridge. Then, the idea came, as ideas will - Sloppy Joe meet Mr. Panade. After all, a Sloppy Joe is a spicy, meaty, saucy concoction mushed between layers of soft bread. A match made in heaven.

Usually, aside from the bread, a panade is composed of spinach or chard and caramelized onions. This breaks new ground. Besides which it was delightfully Sloppy Joe like and really good. Yippie cai aie!

Sloppy Joe Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped finely
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 dashes red hot chili sauce, or 1 minced small chili pepper
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper
4 cups bread day old bread (sourdough is good), cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups beef broth (or chicken)
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 teas. salt

Heat a cast iron pan to hot, lightly brush with oil, then put the beef in without stirring. Just spread it out to cover the bottom of the pan, and let it sear til brown on one side. Then, turn over and let the other side brown before breaking up and finishing the browning process, adding in the onion, stir frying until translucent. Next add the celery and let that saute about 3 minutes, then the mushrooms. Let them cook about a minute or so before stirring in the remaining sauce ingredients.

Let the ragu simmer on low heat for about half an hour. Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 350 F. Cut up the bread into cubes and grate the cheese. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish, and arrange half the bread cubes on the bottom. Heat the stock up. Now pour half of the meat sauce onto the bread. Put the remaining bread on top of that (it should fit snugly), and cover with sauce.


Pour the warmed stock over all. It should come to within a 1/2 inch of the top. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes covered. Remove the foil, top with cheese and continue baking uncovered, another 15-20 minutes, or until the top is crusty and you can see the insides bubbling. Remove and let cool slightly - about 10 minutes or so, so no one burns their tongue.

Enjoy the wonderful smell of it baking whilst watching Wheel of Fortune, sipping a glass of Burgundy, making a salad, or all three.


Comfort food, and not at all sloppy. Just really good. Serve with a lovely tossed salad. This turned out to be a keeper, a hearty, family meal, perfect for linking to Hearth and Soul Bloghop. So many meals to choose from there. You'll never be bored, or at a loss for what to cook.