Name: Rhode Island Dynamites
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: Serves 10
Cuisine: New England, US & Canada
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons water; 1 teaspoon baking soda; Salt and pepper; 2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 2 onions, chopped; 2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1/4 cup chopped jarred hot cherry peppers plus 2 tablespoons brine; 1/4 cup tomato paste; 5 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce; 10 (6-inch) Italian sub rolls, split lengthwise

Why This Recipe Works

For this flavorful take on the Sloppy Joe, we started by quickly tenderizing ground beef in a baking soda mixture and then cooked the beef down with sautéed onions, bell peppers, spices, cherry peppers (with some of their brine) for heat, and some canned tomato sauce. We serve it like they do in Woonsocket, Rhode Island: on a soft torpedo roll.

Before You Begin

If you would like to reduce the spiciness of these sandwiches, substitute sweet cherry peppers for the hot cherry peppers and reduce the amount of red pepper flakes.

Instructions

Stir water, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon
salt together in medium bowl until baking soda and salt are dissolved. Add beef and mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add beef and cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until all liquid has evaporated and meat begins to sizzle, about 10 minutes.

Add onions, bell peppers, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add cherry peppers and brine, tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper flakes and cook until tomato paste is rust-colored and fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook at bare simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened (wooden spoon should leave trail when dragged through sauce), about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon filling into rolls and serve.