Fried Cabbage & Bacon
Submitted by beeaa
Fried cabbage and bacon cooked in half a cup of bacon drippings with a touch of sugar for caramelization. Southern-style comfort food with just 6 ingredients and 25 minutes.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
15 minREADY
25 minThis is straight-up Southern comfort: 3 pounds of green cabbage fried in the drippings from half a pound of bacon, then braised tender under a lid. Six ingredients and not a single one is fancy.
The secret to great fried cabbage is that first undisturbed sear. After crisping the bacon and pulling it out, you add the cabbage chunks directly into those hot drippings and let them sit without stirring for about 3 minutes. That’s how you get those caramelized, golden-brown edges that make this dish more than just boiled cabbage with pork.
A tablespoon of sugar isn’t there to make it sweet. It helps the cabbage brown faster and balances the natural bitterness that green cabbage can have. Once the water goes in and the lid goes on, the cabbage steams tender in about 20 minutes while soaking up all that smoky bacon fat.
Crumble the crispy bacon back in right before serving. Keeping it separate during cooking means it stays crunchy instead of going soggy in the steam.
Pro Tips
- Cut cabbage into big 1-inch chunks. Smaller pieces turn to mush during the 20-minute braise
- Don’t skimp on the bacon. You need about ½ cup of drippings for proper frying, and half a pound delivers exactly that
- Check tenderness at 15 minutes. Some cabbages cook faster depending on freshness
- This reheats well in a skillet the next day. The leftovers get even more caramelized
Variations
- Spicy Southern: Add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes with the salt and pepper for some heat
- Vinegar-braised: Splash in 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with the water for a tangy, German-influenced spin
Ingredients
Directions
1) Cut the cabbage into quarter. Remove any wilted and discolored outer leaves and cut out the core from the cabbage pieces. Cut the cabbage into a large 1-inch cubes.
2) Cook the bacon in a 4-quart pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain.
There should be about ½ cup of bacon drippings in the pan. Add the cabbage to these drippings and cook without stirring until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes.
Add the water, sugar, salt, and pepper and cook covered until the cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes.
Crumble the cooked bacon into the cabbage and serve hot.
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