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!
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Nutrition
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DavetteB
My mom said when she was a kid, they made it and called it baloney spread or sandwich spread, with HB eggs added. They mashed theirs with a potato masher.
I had found a similar recipe made with Spam instead of bologna I shred the spam and grate the eggs – perfect texture for tea sandwiches or crackers.
Mikki
Monkey meat is actually a very common and very old name for it. My mother in law makes something similar with cheap hot dogs instead of bologna. She would call it “monkey meat” for the kids but “ham salad” for family gatherings, which was confusing to me because there’s also regular ham salad made with actual ham lol I’ve seen the bologna version in a couple local church cookbooks as well.
Jennifer L Roberts
My family in NW PA also called it monkey meat.
Chloe George
Weird you think your grandfather named this he didn’t lol. My great grandma from North East PA fed this to me as a kid in the 90s. She ate it back in the 20s.
Patty
My husband’s mother used to make this for him. I had never heard of it. He now has dementia so I thought maybe this would bring back something for him. Thanks for putting this recipe out there. I will be trying it this weekend.
Julie
My Mom would make this back in the 60’s but used sweet pickles. She had a grinder that she attached to the bread board and my younger brother and I would love to crank the handle or stick the bologna and pickles down the shaft. We loved this spread though I never knew it was called Monkey Meat.
Brianne
My great aunt Lela called it ham salad and she would use bologna, sweet pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, and shredded cheddar cheese in hers. It was delicious! It is still one of my favorite things ever. Yup off to the store! Yummy!
Loretta
Monkey meat in west Virginia and Ohio is called “bolony salad ” (bologna salad).
Ham salad is very similar but contains ham instead of bologna. I’m pretty sure your great aunt didn’t give you bolony salad and tell you it was ham salad. What she made was indeed ham salad. Both are delicious as is egg salad.
Bingo
Use up your leftover hot dogs in place of the bologna
Linda
This is an old Family Favorite most always served at childrens birthday parties and yes, it was called Monkey Meat. As others stated, we used to grind it up with a grinder attached to the kitchen table. I’m making 2lbs of this tomorrow to take to the Jersey Shore; it will be our go to sandwich to enjoy on the beach.
GiGi B
Hi…this brought back sooo many memories…My Granny always made this…we called it “Baloney Puddin'”… …LOVE LOVE LOVE that you posted this…Thank You…Be Blessed….
BW
Works great with chopped ham!
Mary B
In my family we ground cheese with the bologna, added the picked and map, filled buns with the mixture, wrapped each sandwhich in foil, then baked then in the oven until toasty…. and called them Gooey Buns.
Elizabeth Daugherty
Mom called this Ham Salad (why, I don’t get it). BUT yes we just bologna, pickles – or relish) & boiled eggs to mix with mayo.
We put the bologna & eggs through a greater then add pickles & mix.
Linda Moe
I live in Eastern South Dakota and we called these the funeral sandwiches or Funeral burgers, because this was the traditional sandwich that would be served down in the Church basement after an afternoon funeral service. This sandwich, along with red jello with fresh bananas and topped with cool whip, many varieties of homemade cakes and pickles and kool-aide or lemonade and lots of strong egg coffee were standard fare at most funerals. Our area was settled mainly by people of Scandinavian and German descent. The food was always good and plentiful. There was something special about those sandwiches, I think it was that the spread was made with love and in large portions that made them taste like a little bit of heaven.
Shawn
What a great memory! Thanks for sharing Linda. 🙂
Paul
I used the relish because it all I have. Boy! The spread were really good! Better than deli department. It’s a keeper! Woll make more.
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Cynthia Evanoff
My sister, husband and I were talking about the sandwich spread from Oscar Meyer that we used to eat like crazy when we were kids. We are all in our 60’s. Our favorite memory was eating the spread out of the gathered ends of the plastic wrap. So happy to find your recipe and the comments of enjoyment from others. We are in confinement .Pray that it is over soon…I do need my spread!
Shawn
We’re all hoping this is over soon! Stay safe Cynthia!
Tawna Hillestad
Also from Eastern South Dakota and I have always called them funeral sandwiches! We had them for Graduations and Weddings too, we never had much money so it was a cheap way to make sure everyone got fed. I love them! I wish I had some Nick’s hamburger buns to put it on, as I am making it today!! Go Jacks!
Byrrni
Our family grew up on this but we made it with sweet pickle relish. It was also christened “Bologna Sh*t”. It remains a favorite.
Shawn
Ha! Great name! 😉
Sharon Humlicek
My kids ( in their 50’s ) still request this. I too grind the bologna, add a little miracle whip and dill pickle relish. I serve it open faced on sliced French bread. Really a favorite around here
Shawn
It’s so good! It’s fun to hear the memories this recipe brings up!
Karen
My husband made this after we were married in the late 1980’s. He got the old hand- cranked grinder from his mom and ground up the baloney and dill pickles, mixed it with mayo and just a bit of sugar and made a sandwich. I thought he was crazy. As the years have gone by our kids have enjoyed it and I’ve come to like it too. We call it ground baloney. I just made a batch the other day. Hmmm.
Donna
My mom grew up during the depression. She raised all of us kids on monkey meat.
Mom is now 95 and still going strong. I think the name ‘monkey meat ‘ has been around a long time.
Vickie Miles
My mom always made it in a grinder too. And yes we always called it Monkey Meat! Loved it!
Dayna Hemmelgarn
This was passed from my grandma to my mom
then my sisters and brothers. They called it ham salad and we used the hand crank grinder. We used Miracle whip, vinegar, sugar and a little milk to thin the Miracle Whip.
Since my kids have all left home I don’t make it any more.
Rozanne
I grew up on monkey meat. Reason we were told it was named after the music grinders with their monkeys that played on the streets. We made it with the bologna, American cheese, onion, sweet pickles and mayo. Tastes better the second day after flavor meld together. Brings back good memories
Shawn
What an awesome memory! Thanks for sharing Rozanne!
Cheryl
Do not use a food processor. It turns to mush. Tastes so much better when you use a grinder!
Shawn
Sorry you didn’t have great results with the food processor Cheryl. If you pulse the food processor too many times it’ll definitely get blended all together and have a mushy consistency. Just a few pulses is all you need! 🙂
Kathy M
That’s how my mom, grandmother and I make it. We all used the old hand crank meat grinder for the bologna and the pickles. My sons call every so often and ask me to make some for them still (they’re in their 40’s).
Mary
In my family we add grated cheese, scoop it into hamburger buns, wrap each sandwhich in foil, and throw them in the oven to heat them up and toast the bun a little…. we call them Gooey Buns.
Shawn
Wow that sounds awesome! I’ll have to try it that way!
Stephanie
I was taught to use hard boiled eggs in it. This is really good . Love it.
Shawn
I bet the hard boiled eggs would make a great addition!
Donna
My mom grew up during the depression. She raised all of us kids on monkey meat.
Michele Szot
OMG…my mom made this with ring bologna…and she used a meat grinder. I think I still have it somewhere packed away. I really need to make it…brings back so many memories!!!
Lynn
My mom called this “sandwich mix” and made it with a sausage grinder. The same ingredients as the recipe here, but with American cheese in the mix. One slice of cheese per slice of bologna. My husband and I served it now and then at our barbecue restaurant and many customers loved it. I don’t eat it as often now, but I have found that when one of my dogs is ill/needs medication, they will scarf up a sandwich mix sandwich.
Shawn
Love it!
Carrie Birdsall
My Mom always made something like this…she just called it bologna spread. She added a hard boiled egg and used with sweet pickles and Mircle Whip. She also ran it thru a meatgrinder for a finer texture
Shawn
I need to try adding in the hard boiled eggs, sound great!
Jb
Thanks. Nice to know others have made this. My husband’s family has made this for at least 50 years – we’re not sure how much further back than that it goes – and they have always called it monkey meat. They use sweet pickles.
Shawn
So neat that you guys called it Monkey Meat too!
Tana Ingle
I have made this for 50 plus years with bologna. We call it bolo salad. I also put a couple of hard boiled eggs and Velvetta cheese in it. Makes a great sandwich.
Tana
Margaret
I have been having something similar since I was a little kid….We did not call it MonkeyMeat however….and what I had and still make is ham salad….I use leftover ham and chop it up in my food processor and add chopped sweet pickles and mayo or salad dressing…..served on toasted rye it is great…
Sarah
My grandma always made this. Growing up during the depression. We add ground cheese substitute sweet pickles and salad dressing. Also make it with him. Very good.
Pat Campbwll
Ground bologna sandwiches. Grew up on them. Still make them occasionally. I like the name “Monkey Meat” better lol.
Jackie Adamitis
I use a 2 inch chunk of german bologna, mayo, sweet green relish and an onion…..
Cheryl
They actually sold this at the little grocery store up the street. It was one of the reasons I loved going to my MIL’s house! Only it was called Ham salad. Not sure what was in it, but it sounds similar.
Yum! Now I want some.
Carolyn
By stick bologna, do you mean the kielbasa type?
Debbie
My Mom (in the 1960’s) used Spam, sweet midges pickles and Mircle whip salad dressing, we would hand grind it…. it was sweeter that way…I still make it with her hand grinder, mmmmm
Molly Powles
I grew up on the same but we added chopped black olives. We just called is sandwich spread. It was so good!
Rose
My mother did not use bologna. She used hap and sweet pickles
David
I grew up with a similar recipient. We grind up the balogna, then we grind up sweet pickles (definitely not dill) the bread and butter pickles are suitable but definitely not dill. Then we add mayo. I like it on soft white bread. Never 2 slices, I have it on soft white bread folded over on it like a taco wrap.
David
Also we call it pickleoney, or pickleogna. Depending on how ya spell it
Shawn
Haha! LOVE the names David!
Debra
My mother would also make it with sweet pickles. Mom came to visit when I was pregnant with our first child. The minute she walked through the door I was craving it. My family loves it. Now I have to run to the store.