I eat hot dogs and I am not ashamed. When I lived in Minnesota as a teenager the German farm families often served hot dogs and cabbage with noodles, sometimes in a hotdish or casserole. Sometimes the cabbage and hot dogs was a side dish, sometimes a main dish. Coming from the South, I found this very strange treatment for hot dogs and for cabbage. Eventually I become a convert, and now it’s fast, easy comfort food.
I’ve since learned that in Pennsylvania Dutch or Amish families (who are also German) fried hot dogs and cabbage are a common meal.
In this recipe I’ve reduced the fat content by frying everything in a few tablespoons of water, instead of traditional bacon grease or vegetable oil. If you are not dieting, then you can replace the water called for below with vegetable oil or other fat.
Hot Dog & Cabbage Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 6 hot dogs, sliced
- 8 cups chopped cabbage
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 to 4 tablespoons water, optional
Directions
Begin by chopping a lot of onions. Use more than you think you need. They make the dish extra good. Coat a large, deep skillet with non-stick spray and add the onion. (If you are using vegetable oil, add it now too,) Start them to frying over medium heat. Slice your hot dogs. Add them to the skillet. Stir them up with the onions and allow them to fry for 5 to 8-minutes, or until the onion is tender and the hot dogs are succulent.
Meanwhile chop the cabbage. Add the cabbage to the skillet along with the black pepper and water. Don’t bother stirring yet, the cabbage will be huge and unwieldy. As it cooks it will shrink and become more manageable. Place a lid on the pot and steam the cabbage for 5-minutes. Stir well. Cover again and steam for a few more minutes, or until the cabbage is done to your liking.
Serve with a side of cooked rice or boiled noodles. Apple slices are a good side dish.
Assuming 4-servings, prepared with 12-ounces of all-beef hot dogs and no added vegetable oil.
Per Serving: 333 Calories; 25g Fat (65.6% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 52mg Cholesterol; 900mg Sodium.
Calories By Percentage: 66% Fat; 19% Carbohydrate; 15% Protein
Exchanges: 1-1/2 Lean Meat; 2-1/2 Vegetable; 4 Fat.
Now, to compare the advantages of using turkey dogs, here is the same recipe, with the nutritional data calculated using turkey hot dogs, which are not only more affordable but also much lower in fat.
Per Serving: 258 Calories; 16g Fat (51.2% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 91mg Cholesterol; 1097mg Sodium.
Calories By Percentage: 51% Fat; 27% Carbohydrate; 22% Protein
Exchanges: 1-1/2 Lean Meat; 2-1/2 Vegetable; 2 Fat.