Smoky Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes

I've had these sloppy joes saved in my drafts folder for months now, and I have absolutely no idea why it's taken me so long to share them with you. As soon as I saw this recipe in my issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray, I put them on our menu. The very day I'd planned to make them, I was working from home and had Rachael's show on as background noise, and she made them as her meal of the day. From that moment on, I was pretty much salivating and praying for dinner to come very, very quickly.

So, basically: Bacon. Beef. Beer. Cheese. Avocado. Fritos. 

Yep. Months later, just the thought of these still makes me salivate. 

Smoky Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes
adapted from Rachael Ray

4 slices bacon, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 cup beer at room temperature
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Hamburger rolls, toasted
Shredded Monterey jack cheese for topping
Sliced avocado for topping
Crushed Fritos for topping

1. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain.

2. Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until browned, breaking it into pieces with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Return the bacon to the pan and add the onion, jalapenos, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring, until the onion is softened.

3. Add the beer to the meat mixture and cook until reduced, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire, vinegar, and hot sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until thickened.

4. Spoon the mixture onto the roll bottoms. Top each sandwich with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, Fritos, and the roll tops.