My husband is 1/2 Hungarian. During holidays we try to have this several times in the summer. It's called Hunky greasy bread or Hungarian Turkey. Here's how it goes:
You score the bacon with a knife and put it on a long fork like you use on a camp fire. The bacon will cook and therefore start dripping fat. You have the bread on a tray nearby on a table so you can reach it easily. As it drips you put the bacon over the bread and let it drip all over the bread surface. Then you gradually add the vegetables to the bread and drip more grease on it. The tomatoes are the last item you add. Be sure to drip more grease over the tomatoes too. Add a little salt and eat. It's delicious.
Here's my tip. We sat a cast iron fry pan on the grate over the charcoal fire. We cut up the jowl bacon in 2-3 inch pieces and placed them in the fry pan. When there was enough grease in the pan we took the bread and dipped it. This worked out so well. The whole slice of bread was coated and we saved very much time. It made the bread crusty and oh so good.
By Donna from OHIO
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
I was introduced to Hungarian Grease Bread when I got married. My in-laws had a long handled, cast iron press for the thick bacon pieces. We put the iron into an open fire, then put the bacon between the two sides of the press and would squeeze enough grease for at least a couple open faced sandwiches.
My mom and grandmother introduced me to this tradition years ago.
They called it "naw shosh" - would love to know if anyone knows how to spell this
Ever since I was a little girl, my father made this for us once a year in the late summer. His best childhood friend was Hungarian and made this every year. Dad carried on the tradition when he had his own family.
Yes - and what they called it - sounded like Jediskinya
But they used rye bread they bought from a bakery in Wilkes-Barre. and only onions and tomatoes. My grandfather was from Hungary.
I was interested in this so I did a bunch of research.
I found this article on Wikipedia that calls it szalonna bread, after the fatback that is used. I've also seen it called greasy or dirty bread. Some recipes call for rye and other call for a crusty French bread. There are also a lot of recipes that call it Gypsy campfire bacon and recommend cooking the fatback over a campfire and then dripping the fat onto the bread. I'm going to have to do this when I go camping in the summer.
en.wikipedia.org/
After some more searching, I found that kenyer is a rustic bread in Hungarian and I found this recipe that would translate into greasy or fatty bread, zsíros kenyér. It's not the same as your pronunciation but it is closer.
zsuzsaisinthekitchen.blogspot.com/
I found mention of names like jiddish kenyer, or judishkenyer too, which is very close to what you remember. I can't find anything definitive but I'm guessing that is from Yiddish or maybe Jewish. The Jewish culinary tradition will use chicken fat and drippings (schmaltz) so it's possible that it was named like this in some areas.
Hope this helps, it was very interesting to look at all the recipes and fond childhood memories of this delicious dish.
Your spelling might be close, I don't really know. I know how it sounds, but don't think I could print it to an english word. I am 50% Hungarian and have had this a few times in my life, the last time was over 30 years ago. My brother and I were in Europe in '98 and saw the type of bacon needed for sale, but in the US, especially currently, as my cousins state, you can't find the bacon anywhere. Basically, you just need slab bacon with the skin still attached, but because of government regulations, you can't get that any more.
I was born in Toledo,Ohio. They call it Hunky Turkey.
I also grew up in Toledo OH and as you said, its Hunky Turkey and I absolutely love it!
Me too. And now I live in Michigan and can't find it. My uncle just sent me some from Toledo!!!
Found this fun discussion about Hungarian Turkey because I just got some jowl bacon and was surprised my grown daughter says she doesnt remember having it. I was born in Toledo too and this was a summer thing my father made. Even as a kid who normally don't like onions or green peppers, my siblings and I loved this deadly concoction.
Oh thanks so much for sharing. I think this recipe is so unusual and I really want to try it. When looking into this for the site, I found the name "Gypsy Bread" and that is my favorite name!
I plan to make it when we camp this summer as it seems like the perfect campfire meal, sort of like meat 'smores. :)
Yes, the national bakery!!! Used to love going there. Tiny little bakery, the aromas. The woman had huge, flabby arms. LOL. It wasnt far from Packos and the Hungarian grocery store. We used to attend St. Stephens church, Father Hernady was the priest then. Good memories!p
A staple for many in East Toledo, OH. With my version, I use cast iron camp cookers and fill them with diced jowl bacon and drip it from them. After the grease is used up, I put the spent bacon pieces in a bowl to add to the top of the bread. Traditional green peppers, onion, tomato, salt & pepper.
Here's a quick and easy recipe. Now that I'm old and disabled, I just fry bacon in a skillet on my stove. Remove cooked bacon and set aside. Then dip your bread into the bacon grease or use a spoon to drip it on. Add your green pepper slices, onions, tomatoes, drip more bacon grease, salt and pepper. The taste is the same. Enjoy! I'm making it today. I only do this every 2-3 yrs.
I remember this "hunker turkey". We used to live in the heart of hunky town, just a few blocks from the bakery mentioned in a previous comment. Fond memories. My youngest daughter loved this hunky turkey, but I always thought it was made with Canadian bacon. Either way it was delicious!!
Toledo girl here! Mother grew up on Caledonia and went to St. Stevens. My great grandparents immigrated from Hungary. Loved the Hungarian Festival every year. Hungarian Turkey was SO good. Ive never tried making it before, but I need to try. I havent had in over 25 years
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
