Watching documentaries and videos about the 1930s often mention “poor man’s meal” or poor man’s dinner. There are a lot of variations of this humble dinner using ground beef or hot dogs, potatoes, tomato sauce or ketchup and sometimes other veggies too. It’s a simple meal, but delicious, using ingredients most of us have on hand.
Today, we are basing our poor man’s meal on Clara’s version from “Great Depression Cooking” found on YouTube — you can watch her video Here – she has great stories about the 1930’s and simple meals.
Let’s get started!
In a pan, sauté onion and carrot in some lard. Season with salt and pepper and some dried dill.
Once onion is tender, add potatoes.
Add a splash of water and stir.
Cook until potato is tender.
Add hotdogs.
Sometimes I add corn and peas and sometimes I do not. I had some in the freezer to use up, so I am using it today. Add a splash of water. Cook about 10 minutes.
Add ketchup and stir.
We are having our poor man’s meal with Fresh Bread, a simple recipe also from the depression. It’s so good and one of my girls’ favorite meals!
Here’s another version using garden produce.
Poor Man’s Meal from The Great Depression
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh cracked pepper
1/4 tsp dried dill or 3 tbsp fresh chopped dill
4 large potatoes, or about 3 cups chopped
1/4 cup water
1 to 2 hotdogs – sliced or diced
1/4 cup corn – optional
1/4 cup peas – optional
2 tbsp ketchup
In a pan, sauté onion and carrot in some lard. Season with salt and pepper and some dried dill. Once onion is tender, add potatoes. Add a splash of water and stir. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add hotdogs. Add corn and peas if using. If pan is dry, add a bit more water. Cook 10 minutes. Add ketchup, stir. Serve with salad and bread.
enjoy from Our City Homestead to yours