Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan or casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has softened and turned translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Brown the Mince: Increase the heat to medium-high, add the beef mince to the pan, and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it's thoroughly browned all over. I find that it’s important not to overcrowd the pan; this ensures the meat browns rather than steams. For more tips, this is a great guide on how to brown mince correctly.

Drain Excess Fat: Once browned, tilt the pan carefully and spoon out most of the excess fat, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan for flavour.

Bloom the Spices: Add the smoked paprika, ground cumin, and dried oregano to the mince. Stir well and cook for about 30 seconds. This step toasts the spices and deepens their flavour. Then, stir in the plain flour and cook for another minute.

Create the Sauce Base: Add the tomato purée to the pan and stir it through the mince, cooking for one minute. This caramelises the purée slightly and removes any raw taste.

Simmer the Sauce: Pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Reduce and Thicken: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened considerably. It should be rich and scoopable, not watery.

Season and Serve: Taste the mixture and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. To serve, lightly toast the buns, then pile the hot Sloppy Joe filling generously onto the bottom halves. Place the tops on and serve immediately.