U.S. Navy Minced Beef on Toast

Yield: 10 servings

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 tablespoons flour, approximate
Cooking oil, as needed
1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes, diced, undrained
5 1/2 ounces tomato juice
2 cups hot water, approximate
Ground nutmeg, to taste
Sugar, to taste

Crumble the ground beef into a skillet and brown with the onions. If beef is very lean, add a tablespoon or two of cooking oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Add flour a tablespoon at a time, stirring and cooking each spoonful, before adding the next. The flour must be cooked to preclude a starchy taste throughout. Add enough flour to absorb the most of the oil. Stir in the tomatoes and the tomato juice, followed by the water. Allow to simmer on low heat to thicken. Adjust consistency as necessary.

This recipe should be your basic meat sauce in a gravy of medium thickness. Add nutmeg, about 1/2 teaspoons, and perhaps sugar, 1/2 teaspoons, to adjust taste.

In the NAVY this is served over toast at breakfast. It's also great on hot dogs!