Cathead is the nickname we give Salisbury steak patties and meatballs in Michigan state prisons. It’s unknown where the name came from, but both dishes are probably called by the same name because they use the same meat and are both round. I’ve been to five different prisons in Michigan over 10 years and people at every prison know what it means.
Salisbury patties are made with ground beef and mixed with seasoning, breadcrumbs, diced onions and bell peppers.
The Salisbury patty trays usually include one cathead (Salisbury steak), mashed potatoes, vegetables, two slices of bread, dessert — which can be either a slice of cake, a cookie or fruit — and milk or juice. The meatball tray usually includes two catheads (meatballs), spiral pasta with sauce, vegetables, two slices of bread, dessert and milk or juice.
Not all of us like cathead. Some say it’s not made with real ground beef. Others don’t like the breadcrumbs or don’t like the taste. Those who don’t like them either give their catheads away, trade them or throw them out. Some people just won’t go to the chow hall on cathead days because they’re so repelled by the meat.
But I love cathead. I was raised eating ground beef and hamburgers. Cathead is just another kind of burger if you put it on sliced bread like I do. There was a time when I was getting both my cellie and my neighbor’s cathead trays, which meant I got to eat three trays. There are also some seasonings and condiments that can be purchased at the commissary and can be taken to chow hall to spice up bland foods.
If someone doesn’t want something on their tray or if someone wants extra, they can do a tray trade by calling out: “I got cathead for milk,” “I got cathead for cake,” or “Whole tray for cookie.”
The first person who accepts the deal verbally gets the trade. Trades can happen on the walk to chow hall, in the chow hall line, while they’re getting their trays or at the table.
Once on a cathead day, I received my tray with milk instead of juice. As I was eating I heard, “Cathead for milk.” I spoke up quickly to get the deal, swapping my milk for cathead. Someone at my table also gave me their cathead, so I had three servings that day.
There can also be personal trades, which are decided in advance. For example, someone might offer a shot of coffee for a cathead tray. On non-cathead days, it can be a pizza tray for a turkey melt tray. Someone might offer $3 for two months’ worth of chicken patty trays or two ramen packages for a chicken-on-the-bone tray.
Since there are plenty of cathead dislikers, I often eat a healthy fill on those days. It’s a perfect meal that I always look forward to.