John Besh's Anything Sloppy Joe's

INGREDIENTS

	Sloppy joe sauce
1	teaspoon canola oil
1/2	onion, diced
1	cup ketchup
1/2	cup pepper jelly
1/4	cup rice wine vinegar
2	tablespoons honey
1	tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1	tablespoon Creole mustard
	Salt
	Freshly ground black pepper
	Sliders
2	cups chopped cooked meat, such as from braised beef short ribs
16	slider buns, toasted
	Bibb lettuce leaves
2	tomatoes, sliced
	Fried onion rings
2	cups canola oil
	Salt
1	cup flour
2	red onions, sliced into thin rings

INSTRUCTIONS

1.	For the sauce, heat the canola oil in a saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and cook until browned. Stirring constantly, add the ketchup, pepper jelly, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, and pepper and cook until warmed through. Either use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for a few days.
2.	For the sliders, warm the sauce in a medium saucepan and add the meat. Stirring well, cook for about 5 minutes, until the sauce and meat are heated through.
3.	For the fried onion rings, heat the canola oil in a large saucepan to 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Mix salt into the flour and spread on a plate. Dredge the onion rings in the flour and drop them, one by one, into the oil. Cook only a few at a time, until the rings are golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
4.	Assemble the sandwiches: toast the buns, spoon the saucy meat onto the buns, and top with onion rings, lettuce, and tomato slices.