Sauté Vegetables

Begin by heating olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the minced carrots and cook for about 5 minutes. If using bell peppers instead of carrots, add them with the onions. Next, incorporate the chopped onion and celery, stirring occasionally until the onions turn translucent, which should take around 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, cooking for an additional 30 seconds before removing the vegetables from the pan. Set them aside in a medium bowl.

Brown the Ground Beef

In the same pan, crumble the ground beef, seasoning it lightly with salt. Allow the beef to cook undisturbed on one side until it is well-browned before flipping it to brown the other side. If needed, cook the meat in batches to prevent overcrowding. Once browned, remove the beef from the pan using a slotted spoon and set it aside with the vegetables.

Prepare the Sloppy Joe Mix

Drain excess fat from the pan, leaving just a tablespoon behind. Return the cooked beef and vegetables to the pan. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up any larger chunks of meat. Add the ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, and brown sugar to the pan, mixing well. Season the mixture with ground cloves, thyme, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mix simmer for approximately 10 minutes, adjusting the seasoning to taste as needed.