Historic Ground Meat Recipes

One popular hot dog sauce is named after one of the New York City amusement parks in the United States in the very early 1900s. However, Coney Island is a real place and is still in operation in a much updated iteration.

Coney Island is a neighborhood in Southwestern Brooklyn in NYC that features housing for all ages, including senior living. It is also a peninsula that extends out into the Atlantic Ocean and has a beach. The first Coney Island Parks were likely all built near this beach, which became an expanded resort area.

At least three amusement parks could be found at Coney Island from the early 1900s through WWII and these were Luna Park, full of electric lights at night; Steeplechase Park, and Dreamland. Their hot dogs became famous at all three.

Astroland and the New York Aquarium sit today where Dreamland (1904 - 1911) once enjoyed crowds of visitors to see its sideshows, called "freak shows" in those days before WWI. A new Luna Park was opened in 2010.

Coney sauce became famous in Flint, Michigan as well! Leo's diner in Flint serves many hot dogs covered in this sauce every day. I stop there for lunch whenever I am in the area.

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3/4 lb. ground beef (vegetarians can substitute chopped eggplant)
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshl ground pepper
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Instructions

• In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
• Add the onion and garlic and sauté 2 minutes until onion is translucent.
• Add crumbled ground beef, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper.
• Cook all for 5 minutes, stirring.
• Drain excess fat out of the skillet and return to heat.
• Add the tomato sauce and the tomato paste.
• Simmer 5 minutes and serve.

Ingredients

• 1.5 ground chuck (or substitute chopped eggplant or ground turkey)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, coarse chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 can (15-16 ounces) whole tomatoes with juices
• 1 to 2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
• 2 Tablespoons adobo sauce from the can
• 1/2 cup spring water
• 1 can (15 oz) hominy, rinsed and drained
• Warm flour tortillas or rice
• Lime wedges

Instructions

• Season ground chuck with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. A
• Add beef to skillet a little at a time and brown, transferring to a bowl when browned.
• Return meat to skillet and add onion, garlic and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft.
• Add tomatoes with juices, chilies, adobo sauce to the skillet.
• Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meat is done, about 30 minutes.
• Add hominy and cover; simmer 10 minutes.
• Season to taste and serve with tortillas or over rice, with lime wedges.

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds ground chuck (or whatever substitute you may prefer)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Large onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Instructions

Boil ground chuck in hot water until about half cooked. Drain off the water and remove the bay leaves that cut cut your mouth. Cook over moderate heat for 2-3 hours. Re-season to taste and serve.

Ingredients

• 1.5 pound ground beef or ground chuck (or substitute chopped eggplant, ground turkey, or ground chicken)
• 1/2 pound sausage (leave out for vegetarian)
• 2 Cups cooked rice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 tespoon dill
• Pinch of garlic salt
• 2 cups sauerkraut
• 2 cups tomatoes

Instructions

• Remove 10 whole large leaves from a cabbage and steam them 2-3 minutes until they are soft.
• Combine rice, ground beef, sausage, onion, salt, pepper and garlic salt and mix well.
• Put 1/4 cup meat mixture into each cabbage leaf and roll up.
• Put the cabbage rolls into a 13x9-inch baking dish.
• Combine sauerkraut and tomatoes and pour over the cabbage rolls.
• Bake 2 1/2 hours at 325 degrees F.
• If rolls appear too dry during baking, cover with foil.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef or ground chuck (or substitute ground turkey or chopped eggplant)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 quarts crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 can (6-8 ounces) mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons herb salad seasoning
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 6 servings cooked spaghetti, al dente
• 4 slices Colby or Co-Jack cheese

Instructions

• Brown ground beef.
• Add onion and garlic and cook over low heat 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, salad herbs. Mix well.
• Combine all with cooked spaghetti. in a 3-quart baking dish.
• Top with cheeses.
• Bake in 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.