Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80 percent lean)
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 inner stalk celery (with leaves), finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• One 14.5-ounce can tomato sauce, such as Pomi
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 16 slider buns or mini potato rolls, split

Instructions

1. Special equipment: a slow cooker
2. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the ground beef, garlic, celery, peppers, onions, tomato sauce, ketchup, chili powder, dry mustard, onion powder, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix together with a wooden spoon, making sure to break up the ground beef. Set the machine to high and cook for 4 hours.
3. Spoon the sloppy joe mixture onto the buns to make sliders.