Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add your diced onion and let it cook for about two minutes until it gets soft and fragrant. Then toss in the diced bell pepper and cook for another two minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing burns. You'll know it's ready when the onion looks a little translucent around the edges.

Add the minced garlic and cook for exactly 30 seconds—seriously, don't walk away because garlic burns fast. You're just looking for that amazing garlic smell to hit your kitchen. Once you smell it, you're done and ready to add the beef.

Crumble the ground beef into the skillet and break it up with a spoon as it cooks. Don't just let it sit—keep moving it around so it browns evenly instead of forming one big chunk. This takes about five to six minutes total, and you want it completely brown with no pink showing.

Pour off most of the grease if there's a lot pooling in the pan (I use a small paper towel to blot it). You want just enough fat left to keep things moist, not swimming in oil. This step matters because it keeps the final sauce from being greasy.

Stir in the tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, yellow mustard, smoked paprika, and soy sauce all at once. Mix it really well so the brown sugar dissolves into the sauce. The mixture will look a little thick and chunky at first, but that's totally normal.

Lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for about eight minutes, stirring every couple minutes. The sauce thickens up nicely and the flavors blend together—this is when it stops tasting like individual ingredients and becomes one cohesive sloppy joe sauce. Taste it and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Toast your hamburger buns if you want them crispy (I always do because soggy buns are nobody's favorite). Pile the sloppy joe mixture onto each bun and top with a little cheddar cheese if your crew likes it. Serve immediately while everything's hot and the cheese gets all melty.