Comments on: Ground Beef and Spinach: Joe’s Special

By: Ashley

Ashley — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:27:19 +0000

I actually was out of frozen spinach tonight but had the frozen green giant’s creamed spinach and it turned out incredible. I will only make it with that again. I did add a lot… nutmeg, chopped mushrooms, and canned tomatoes…I know it’s not the original but I don’t care, it was to die for. Thank you for posting this!

By: Mary Nelson

Mary Nelson — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:09:15 +0000

Have eaten this for close to 50 years.Use olive oil. No need to cook spinach or eggs separately..inf act better w/ twice the amount of fresh spinach added at the very end and stir fried in the ground beef mixture. (better if ground sirloin) 3 minutes maxim. Last, crack the eggs in and don’t over cook. Maximum time 1 minute stir. Better if eggs are creamy vs hard fried… Then the pièce de résistance… serve on top of sour dough pan fried bread fried in butter and sprinkled with a bit of parmrsan. ooolala !!!

By: Reina

Reina — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:02:04 +0000

Like so many others I remember my mother making this as a child. She was from San Francisco and she could taste a particular recipe and know how to make it. I am sure she asked how it was made and was given the recipe. I vaguely remember her using mushrooms, worcestershire and the eggs. As I recall, the eggs are cooked separately and added last. Ours never looked “gray”, you could see the distinct colors. I would drain the spinach really well and squeeze out the excess. In recent history I think it can be made with ground turkey, but the beef is where it is at. I plan on making it tonight. We have a restaurant here called Peg’s Glorified Ham and Eggs, “San Francisco Joe’s Special” is on the menu and it’s terrific!

By: Mignon

Mignon — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:36:01 +0000

I have also had this combination when i was a kid in the Bay Area. I remember that it was also served inside warm pita bread which made it even better. My mom found it was a great way to get my brother to eat mushrooms without an argument.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 22:48:00 +0000

How interesting. My first exposure to this combo was in 1972 at “Alameda Joe’s” restaurant at an Alameda, CA bowling alley. I later had it at Francesco’s restaurant on Hegenberger Road in Oakland identified as “Francesco’s Special”. I remember a touch of Sherry added during the final stages of cooking. The mushrooms and eggs were part of the mix. I never worried about the appearance because the smell and taste were terrific. Thanks for all the earlier source info.

By: Warren Lee

Warren Lee — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 05:46:00 +0000

I first had this dish in San Francisco in 1954 at Original Joe’s. Supposedly he started combining the spinach and chopped beef during rationing in WWII. I have continued to make it over the years and have combined it with potatoes and onions. I do not remember combining the dish with eggs at Joes.

Warren

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 22:34:00 +0000

You left out the nutmeg! Which really makes it great….

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 01:09:00 +0000

I was searching for this recipe my mother cooked for our family as a child. I am so excited to see how my children and husband like it. I called my father and told him I had gotten it and he shared with me that the recipe actually comes from a well known restaurant in San Francisco, called “Original Joe’s”. I looked them up and sure enough, there it was “Joe’s Special”. Now we know where it came from…

By: Arthur

Arthur — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 00:13:00 +0000

This is a great, quick and healthy combination. Thanks for your Blog. I originally tried this from Marian Cunningham’s Lost Recipes book and left that book at my summer house. I couldn’t remember the name. I searched “ground beef, spinach and San Francisco” and I found you. Thanks.

By: Bev-ey

Bev-ey — Thu, 24 Nov 2005 03:09:00 +0000

This is an old mainstay for the family who has a kid who has anemia. She had forgotten it in her own married life til I mentioned it a few months ago – now a 3rd generation is enjoying this quick fix wonder. We also brown mushrooms [canned if that's all we have] and add a sprinkle of nutmeg to the seasonings. I use Worcestershire, not Tabasco. But I have always made it with frozen, micro-zapped spinach, so looked yours up to see what to do w. the bag of raw I’ve got. Sure ‘nuf it needs pre-steaming. Thanks.
Also, with toast and sliced tomatoes or avocados, this is a pretty well rounded meal. We make enough to warm it for breakfast the next day! [and did you ever try pulling out your pre-cooked burger to make Stroganoff? -another working parent's easy fixer.]
Tell us about the mock apple pie? Is that the old war time thing with Ritz crackers? My Mom may have done that along with crazy cake — mmm, memories…