My mother is Pennsylvania Dutch– which basically means she is of German descent. She grew up in a household where much emphasis was put on living off the earth. Meals were often made from what was grown in the garden. And potatoes were a very popular item to cook with. I love Mom’s home cooking, and luckily for us, Mom has agreed to share with us her recipe that has been handed down through her family for Hot German Potato Salad!
This recipe is absolutely delicious. But I must warn you, it is not one of your more familiar health conscious recipes. While I wouldn’t recommend eating it every single day, this recipe will be hugely popular with your family served as a side dish for dinner. Mom made it with pork chops and corn on the cob for a nice summer treat and my husband who is not a huge potato salad fan loved it!
A little about the Pennsylvania Dutch:
Pennsylvania Dutch cooking comes from the parts of Pennsylvania that were settled by the Mennonites and Amish. William Penn (1644-1718), founder of Pennsylvania, was seeking colonists for the Pennsylvania area. Encouraged by his open invitation, the Amish and their brethren emigrated from Germany and Switzerland. The first group arrived in America around 1730 and settled near Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Dutch are not necessarily Amish and the Amish are not necessarily Pennsylvania Dutch. They are simply of German descent. My grandmother spoke the dialect of German known as Pennsylvania Dutch or Pennsylvania German. At one time, over a third of Pennsylvania’s population spoke this language.
Hot German Potato Salad
6 Cups Cooked Potatoes
1 lb. Bacon
1 Onion, chopped
1/2 Cup Bacon Drippings
1/2 Cup Vinegar
2 tbsp. Sugar
1/4 tsp. Pepper
Salt to Taste
Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and set aside to cool. While the potatoes are cooking, cut the bacon into small pieces.
Simmer the bacon in a skillet over med/high heat.
Add chopped onion and fry until the bacon is crisp and brown and the onion is soft, stirring occasionally.
Leave the bacon grease in the pan along with the bacon and onion. Add sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Once the potatoes are done, pull them from the heat and drain them. They should be soft enough to pierce easily, but not so soft that they cannot be sliced.
Slice the potatoes into a serving dish.
Add the bacon and onion mixture.
Stir the ingredients together.
And enjoy!! This recipe goes well as a side dish to red meat and is perfect for a fun summer meal!
If you would like to see some of the other recipes that my mother has shared from her family cookbook, be sure to check out her recipes for Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Dumplings!
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