I know why they call it sloppy but why is it a sloppy joe?

Question

I ordered a sloppy joe at work the other day and after I ate it I was thinking "I know why they call it sloppy...but who's joe?" any insight?

Answer 1

This is the "True Story" behind the origination of "sloppy joe's".

During the Great Depression, and shortly thereafter, ground beef gained popularity in America because it was both economical and nourishing. Poverty abounded and many men became Hobos and Vagabonds. They would ride the rails in freight cars in search of a better place. When the trained stopped to refill it's water and wood supplies, the hobos and vagabonds would wander off searching the town for food scraps behind hotels and restaurants.

On one such occasion, Hobo "Joe" Ryan returned to the freight car with 11 unfinished hambugers. Sloppy "Joe" Turner returned with three loaves of stale bread. Jumping "Joe" Jackson returned with 40 bottles of ketchup that were not quite empty. Jolly "Jo-Ann" McCafferty returned with six unopened cans of beans. Joe "The Jug" Jones returned with a shopping cart full of unfinished wine and whiskey bottles.

All 5 proceeded to carefully pour the contents of the bottles into a big jug without spilling so much as a drop. They passed the jug round and round until it was empty.

They then mixed their finds into a very sloppy concoction. The rest is History.

Answer 2

According to the "In Mama’s Kitchen" website,

"Research at the Carnegie Library suggests that the Sloppy Joe began in a Sioux City, Iowa, cafe as a "loose meat sandwich" in 1930, the creation of a cook named Joe..."

Answer 3

The following link includes two possible answers:

"Joe" as used similar to "regular Joe", a regular but likeable guy,

or the cook who first made it.

Answer 4

good point