Sloppy Dogs

Sloppy Dogs is Pinch of Nom’s new take on the hotdog, using pork mince, not the manky, calorific hotdogs you get in jars or at football stadiums (though chance would be a fine thing right now). Not many healthy eating cookbooks feature pork mince, but Pinch of Nom’s two books do which make for a welcome change and this recipe is bangingly good.

Pork mince can be cheaper than beef mince in some supermarkets (notably Sainsburys) and this meal works out as just over a £1 per serving. For those who miss tucking into a tasty, lunchtime sandwich on a diet, this is for you. But be warned, it isn’t called Sloppy Dogs for nothing. The filling is likely to spill out and you will get sauce around your chops, however eat this at home instead of at work and no one will know ha ha. The calorie count is 379 per serving, but not all finger rolls are created equal, so do check the calorie amounts before you buy.

If you love tucking into a bap, wrap, sandwich or toastie (or whatever else you call them), check out monte cristo sandwich, also from Pinch of Nom.

Recipe: Sloppy Dogs  

Calories: 379 per serving

Serves: 4

Book: Pinch of Nom – Everyday Light

Prep time: Approx 20 mins

Cooking time: Approx 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 white onions (peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 red pepper (deseeded and finely chopped)
• 150ml pork stock (2 pork stock cubes dissolved in 150ml boiling water), or use beef or chicken stock
• Low-calorie cooking spray
• 500g 5% fat pork mince
• 1 tsp onion granules
• 1 tsp garlic granules
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• ½ tsp mustard powder
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce or Henderson’s relish
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 4 tbsp tomato puree
• Sea salt
• Ground black pepper
• 6 gluten-free finger rolls
• 120g reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 2 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced (optional)

Cost per portion: Approx £1.06

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C / Fan 200 degrees C / gas mark 7

Put the onions, red pepper and the pork stock (or use chicken or beef stock) in a frying pan and saute over a medium heat. After around 5 minutes the onions will be translucent and the liquid will have reduced to a glossy coating. Spray some low-calorie cooking spray into the pan.

Add the pork mince, onion granules, garlic granules, paprika, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar. Saute for 4-5 minutes until the mince has browned.

Once the mince has browned, add the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. Stir and simmer over a medium-low heat so that it is gently bubbling. After around 5 minutes the sauce should look rich and be reduced ad thick. Remember, this is served in a bun, so if the sauce is still runny, reduce it further. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (At this point, if you want to keep the mince for another day, you can freeze it once cooled – defrost fully before reheating).

Slice the buns down the middle and line up on a baking tray. Spoon the pork mix into the buns and top with the grated cheese. Pop the buns into the oven for 3-5 minutes. You want the cheese to melt but you don’t want the buns to burn!

Serve with an optional scattering of spring onions.