Before you run away, let me clarify – no monkeys were harmed in making this Monkey Meat.
There are also no bananas… let me explain…
We’re talking family recipes this week, and this Monkey Meat is an OLD family recipe. I was actually just introduced to Monkey Meat last month, and I was extremely intrigued at the name alone. I was at a family reunion, so my mom and her three siblings were there, and at the mere mention of “Monkey Meat” they would tilt their heads back, close their eyes, smile and make an, “mmmmm.” sound.
I simply had to know what it was, and what was in it. Oh, and WHY the name?
So here’s what it is – it’s a sandwich spread (also makes a great dip for crackers) made from bologna, dill pickles and a little bit of mayo.
Here’s WHY – When my grandparents were younger and had 4 hungry kids (living on a very modest income) my grandma looked for ways to “expand” their pantry. By grinding up the bologna and her homemade pickles, she was able to stretch the meat out a little further and save a few extra pennies. My grandfather was a Science teacher, and the name “Monkey Meat” was most certainly coined by him. He passed away when I was just 9 years old, but I remember him always having the quirkiest jokes and always being the life of the party. I actually went off to college with aspirations to become a science teacher myself.
But alas, I ended up here. Sharing Monkey Meat with my friends. (we’re still friends, right?)
When I made these sandwiches for my kids and told them it was “Monkey Meat” they were a little confused. Ok, I had to do some serious talking with my 4 year old to convince her there was actually NO monkeys in it. She finally took a bite, and LOVED IT. My oldest kids requested these in their lunch box, and I couldn’t be happier.
With our school being a nut free zone, they can get sick of their regular sandwich selection.
Plus they can brag to their friends about it. I hope I don’t get any notes home from the principle…
Look, we all know family recipes can be a bit… well, odd. And yes, this one definitely is, but it’s totally worth a try!
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Monkey Meat… it’s not what you think
Ingredients
- 1 lb. stick bologna, cut into cubes
- 5 to 6 baby dill pickles, drained
- 1/2 cup mayo, + more if needed
Instructions
- In a food processor pulse the bologna several times until it becomes very finely chopped, place in a large bowl.
- Wipe out the food processor and add the dill pickles, pulse a few times until very finely chopped. Add the dill pickles to the bologna along with the mayo. Stir to combine, keep chilled and spread on butter crackers or in-between to pieces of bread for a delicious sandwich!
Video
Nutrition
My family also had this a lot when I was growing up, and in fact I’m looking for a food grinder so I can make this and roast beef hash. While this was just called “ground meat and pickles,” my grandfather did apply a name to a dessert dish that has stuck for 3 generations. When grandma make an apple crisp, he asked, “What’s this bird mush?” And it has remained “Birdmush Pie” to this day.
I use sweet pickle relish. I have used this recipe with leftover ground chicken YUM!!!!
I grew up on this too except my mom always just called it her version on ham salad. My great aunts would rave about it but she was too embarrassed to tell them it was actually just bologna. Definitely like the Monkey Meat name.
This was a staple in our house growing up but my mom called it “Ham salad” Yum, haven’t had it in years and I would probably use a lower fat content bologna but would still love it. Thanks for bringing back great memories.
I love this!!! My Mom made this for us when we were kids. The only differences are that she used sweet gherkin pickles and we called this mixture “pickle meat”. It was our favorite lunch spread – okay call us weird. I am 66 and thought this was a recipe my Mother had made up – like she did with some other things she used to make.
I love the name!! Ha! Thank you for sharing your story! 🙂
My Mom used to make something similar using Prem or Spam ,pickle relish and mayo. She used a kitchen shredder to grind the meat up. After I got married I made it for my husband to try as he had never heard of it. He said it tasted like dog food . Lol .
And I thought no one else knew what monkey meat was! This is so funny that so many people had this as a kid!!
I was kind of shocked to see how many people had heard of it as well! Thanks for the comment Robbyn! 🙂
My mother used to make what her mother called “Beef and Pickle” spread using roast beef that was run through the meat grinder which was screwed onto an old kitchen table. After the meat was ground she would grind sweet gherkin pickles, right behind the meat. Then she would add a little salt and pepper, a little sweet gherkin juice from the jar and Hellmann’s mayonnaise to the consistency she wanted. We would make a sandwich out of it or eat it spread on crackers. Soooo Good !!!
There are small markets in Maryland here that still make this and sell it by the pound in the deli section.
So many happy memories while reading this recipe! My grandmothers and mother made this often. I think they also put it through a hand crank meat grinder fastened to the table or countertop. I’m thinking they used sweet pickles instead of dill. In the Midwest, we called this “ham salad”, although it didn’t have ham in it at all! Thanks for sharing!
I just wanted to let you know, this stuff is amazing. I grew up on it. It’s a very local thing around here and sell it in certain stores. But everyone who ever ate it knows which store is the best. Thank you for sharing. my step dad has asked me to make some. Ive known what was in forever but this helps with the measurements. Thanks again.
Awesome!! I’m so glad you’ve found a recipe that brings back memories of your childhood. I’m glad I could help.
I can see everyone smiling now, but I am totally with you, your Mother and her Siblings. This dish is the absolute Bomb!!! My Grandmother used to make pounds of this and then share it with all of her family. The only difference in her recipe vs. this one is she used an old fashioned hand crank meat grinder witch gives a much creamier and smoother texture. She also used her own canned sweet pickles out of her garden. She ran everything through that grinder and then mixed together with the mayo. I think she used a little yellow mustard and white sugar in with her mixture. I have very fond memories of this kind of food!!! Thanks for sharing and I love your site!!!
My grandmother used a hand crank meat grinder to make this as well. I figured since not everyone has a meat grinder, making it in a food processor would be easier. I bet the texture would be amazing in the grinder, and I plan on doing that next! Thanks Michael! 🙂
The name reminds me of that old school cafeteria (or scout) song. You know, the one that goes “Great green gobs of greasy, grimy gopher guts, mutilated monkey meat, chopped up birdie feet…”
No matter where it got its name, it looks tasty. I wonder if I could get my kiddos to eat it (ages 2 and 3)? They are anti-meat unless it’s highly processed (hello, hot dogs). I think it’s a texture thing.
That’s hilarious! My Uncle actually said the same stuff (grimy gopher guts, etc.) when I was asking what was actually in the Monkey Meat for the first time. I’m sure your little ones would love this, my kids absolutely adore it. 🙂
I grew up on ground bologna but our family always added onion when grinding the meat, and dill pickles.
Yep, I remember this (of course, not called Monkey Meat). My mom had a grinder that she screwed onto the kitchen table. She would put in the bologna, ham or Turkey and crank it through. Then add the whole pickles – crank it through and then mix in the mayo. Also made Pimento Cheese through that grinder. Thanks, brought back great memories of sitting there with my mom, watching it! 🙂
Thanks for the helping me remember a childhood favorite. I haven’t had it for many years but now I have got to try it again.
Our local submarine/grinder shop uses a mix like this only they add ham also and call it ham salad. Its yummy!!!! 🙂
Even though the name sounds a little…weird (lol), this reminds me of ham salad spread I ate growing up. Pretty much the same thing except ham instead of bologna.
This sounds amazing, (once you get past the name!), and makes me think of it as a healthier alternative to devil ham. Thanks for sharing! Your Grandparents sound like they were pretty amazing, btw. 🙂
I have made this for years.. but called this a ‘mock’ ham salad
What a great story! I love how “Monkey Meat” came to be in your family. And, I love that you shared not only the story, but the recipe with with us. There is absolutely nothing wrong with stretching out a recipe when you’re on a budget. Kudos to your grandparents – and thanks for sharing! I think sometimes, we get so indulgent with our recipes, that it’s nice to be reminded to go back to basics once in a while. It’s a great reminder!
I am 59 years old and have not thought about this for 30 years or more. We had this as kids and I loved it. We had an old hand crank meat grinder (which I still have – has to be 75 years old). My Mom would cut up the bologna, hard boil some eggs, a few slices of onion, and of course lots of dill pickles and Miracle Whip. My Mom would turn the crank and we would take turns stuffing the items in the top of the grinder. Oh, it brings back memories!! We called it ground up meat. There were 7 of us and we went through alot of this stuff throuh the years.
My mother used to do the same with the grinder, but we used sweet pickles. Brings back lots of memories. My brother named this ‘grunt’, because when you take the first bite, you grunt with sheer enjoyment.
I have always eaten this almost all my life. We made big batches of this for” funeral” sandwiches. It used to be served at almost every funeral.
I absolutely cracked up when I saw this post. My family too has a Monkey Meat. Our version is roast beef, relish and mayo (and occasionally cheese). The roast beef is run through a meat grinder as well. This is a staple on the family vacation and the kids are always saying “When can we eat Monkey Meat?”
In Western Pennsylvania, we refer to your recipe as Ham Salad or Sandwich Spread. Regardless of what it is called – it is Yummy!
Mmmmmm. Looks delicious and it also reminds me of johnny test (a cartoon)
This brings back good memories. We also had something we called monkey meat. It was the canned deviled ham spread.
Hi Shawn, This reminds me of the German “Wurstsalat”. If you’re up for a variation, try to add a chopped, hard boiled egg next time.
My mom made it with Spam and sweet pickles. Haven’t thought about it for years. Maybe there’s a tin of Spam in my future…..
Finally, someone who made it with Spam. I’ve been eating it since the ’60’s. Still do, with some white bread and crispy lettuce. My guilty pleasure! Ha!
Oh, btw — it might be fun to try this with a little pan-fried or “Detroit BBQ” bologna, cooked and sliced in similar manner to gyro meat. I believe I may try that.
I know we will go bananas after this recipe. Thanks. Thinking of “squish”, that is what I’ve called squash for years — but now I may have to change my vocabulary. hahaha
Thanks again. Love the blog and recipes.
Our family had about the same sandwich spread but our`s also had cheese ground up in it. Delicious!!
My Grandmother and Mother made this but instead of pickles thy used homemade chowchow. I took many of sandwiches to school back n the law 40’s and early 50’s. This brain back old old memories. Thanks for the memories.
Do you happen to have her recipe for chowchow? Ive been looking for an authentic one for ages.
My grandmother made the best chow chow but i never got her recipe. Id love to have a recipe for it as well.
Was the chow chow recipe for finely ground or a coarse ground variety? I could give you either.
Well you got my attention—Lol. Well done. I can certainly see how versatile it is.
That always works for me.
I can’t wait to fix this for grandchildren! Should be funny to see reactions! Thanks for sharing your memories and recipe.
Perhaps your grand father called it that because everyone went “ape” over it.
Don’t forget we had great trading power at school lunch with this. Loved it again yum
This looks great! Perfect in a sandwich or on rye bread!
Thank you Millie, the kids love it as a sandwich! 🙂
Home-made “squish”! That’s what I grew up calling it. We bought it in a tube and “squished” it onto the bread to make sandwiches. Thanks for the memory 🙂
That’s too funny! I love that name! 🙂
We always called it ham spread but we add 1/4 lb of Lebanon bologna and a couple hard boiled eggs and a little bit of the pickle juice and run it all through a meat grinder. My Dad used to make this all the time when we were growing up. It doesn’t look good but damn does it taste good.
My grandmother would run hers through a meat grinder as well! I love your addition of the hard boiled eggs, sounds great!
My sister always called it Monkey Meat too! I never questioned her, just laughed. I use 1/2 bologna and 1/2 ham, usually make it after Easter Dinner to use up left overs.
We called it ham salad. Mom used the ham, bologna, pickles and mayo. She would always buy 5 pounds of each, grind all parts together. Then divide it into 5 containers, place 4 in the freezer and add mayo to the final box for use. Lunch for months. She only added the mayo once the container came out of the freezer.
This is exactly how my husband makes tuna sandwiches (with tuna instead of bologna of course!). I’ve never heard of using bologna before, but I have to admit, it sounds interesting!
I’m not a huge fan of tuna sandwiches, but these sandwiches here are pretty tasty! I imagine throwing a slice of cheese in there and making it a grilled cheese Monkey Meat sandwich would be heavenly… that’s on my to-do list. 🙂
We had this when I was a kid but we called it ground bologna.
I’m so glad it’s brought back memories for so many! Thanks Sharleen for your comment! 🙂
This recipe is cracking me up! There are so many crazy family recipes for all of us, aren’t there? What a fun memory and I love that your kids all loved it too!
Thanks Mary! I’m glad everyone is not giving me evil eyes right now. Family recipes are so fun!
You forgot to add hard boiled egg. It takes out the tartness of the mayo.
I used to make this with my mom, when I was young… We added onion and hard boiled eggs as well.
We added onions and HB eggs also …good memeries…thanks.