Historic Ground Meat Recipes

Coney Sauce is named after one of the Coney Island Parks around the USA in the very early 1900s. However, Coney Island is a real place.

Coney Island is a neighborhood in Southwestern Brooklyn in NYC that features housing for all ages, including senior living. Coney Island is also a peninsula that extends out into the Atlantic Ocean and a beach. The first Coney Island Parks were likely all built near this beach, which became a 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. Coney Island 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 as in NYC. Angelo's diner in Flint serves many coney dogs every day. I stop there for lunch whenever I am in the area. A good coney sauce recipe appears below.

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 substitute chopped eggplant)
• 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 water and all all other ingredients. Cook over moderate heat for 2-3 hours. Reseason 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.