Braised Cabbage with Bacon

Braised Cabbage with Bacon is a side dish of flavorful, tender green cabbage made even tastier with crisp, thick-cut bacon. This recipe tastes like it was braised all day, but it takes less than an hour to prepare. It’s the perfect recipe to serve with your favorite entrees or even on its own.

What is Braised Cabbage?

Braising is a culinary term for the combination cooking method of searing (or browning) a food before simmering it in a tightly sealed vessel. Braised foods are often started on the stovetop and finished in the oven. You can braise anything from beef to vegetables. Because the cooking method is longer than most, you want to employ this method with fibrous, tough, or thick vegetables. The best vegetables for braising are beans, root vegetables like carrots, turnips, or parsnips, or cooking greens like cabbage.

This braised cabbage is first sauteed over high heat in a dutch oven, then simmered in liquids on the stovetop instead of in the oven. 

What do I need to make Braised Cabbage with Bacon?

You need a head of green cabbage, thick-cut bacon, onion, garlic, brown sugar, chicken stock, white vinegar, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, seasoned salt, caraway seeds, and black pepper.

You can braise any kind of cabbage, so long as it has fibrous leaves. Red cabbage, savoy, and Napa cabbage are all good replacements for green cabbage in recipes. Likewise, you can replace the chicken stock in this recipe with beef or vegetable stock if that’s what you have on hand. 

Caraway seeds are the dried fruit of the caraway plant. They’re often used in baking, most notably in rye bread. Adding caraway seeds to cabbage gives the dish a pungent, mild anise flavor. You can omit them or use fennel seeds in their place. 

What’s the best way to cut the Cabbage for this recipe?

To cut green cabbage for cleaning and braising:

1. Cut the head of cabbage in half. 
2. Next, cut each half in half again (making quarters).
3. Hold your knife at a 45° angle 1 inch from the point of the wedge of cabbage. This will be just above the core and stem in the wedge. Cut down at that 45° angle to remove the core. 
4. Cut the wedge into 1-inch thick strips. 
5. Put the cut cabbage into a colander and rinse it well under cold, running water to remove dirt or bugs. 
6. Allow the cabbage to drain in the colander while you prep the remaining ingredients.

You can save the core for adding to stocks or soups or just compost it. But, because the core is so tough, you definitely don’t want to add it to the rest of the cabbage. 

Can I use a replacement for the Bacon?

Cut the bacon strips into 1/2-inch wide pieces using a chef knife. Thick-cut bacon is best used in this braised cabbage recipe because it will maintain its shape and not crumble like regular bacon. 

If you abstain from pork, you can replace thick-cut pork bacon with thick-cut beef or turkey bacon. 

How do you braise something?

To braise food, you first sear or brown it over high heat. After caramelizing the food, you add liquid to the pot or vessel, cover it tightly, then cook it for an extended period, often in the oven, until it is tender. The difference here is that we’re doing everything on the stovetop. 

First, add the bacon pieces to a cold dutch oven. Next, turn the stove on to medium-high. Starting the bacon in a cold pot and allowing it to come up to temperature renders the fat from the meat better. As a result, your bacon is crisper because you’ve rendered more fat from it. 

Cook the bacon for 10 minutes, or until it is browned and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the bacon from the pot to a dish or bowl lined with a paper towel. Allow the bacon to drain while you finish the recipe. 

How long does the braised cabbage cook?

Carefully discard all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon grease from the pot. 

Add the sliced onion and garlic to the remaining grease in the pot and sauté them over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Next, add the brown sugar to the pot and stir the onions and garlic into the glaze it creates. Caramelize the onions and garlic for 2 minutes, frequently stirring. If the contents in the pot start to emit an acrid smoke, decrease the temperature to medium. 

Add the cabbage to the pot, along with the vinegar, seasoned salt, red pepper flakes, caraway seeds, black pepper, and bay leaves. Toss the cabbage in the pot as best you can (it’ll probably be full, but it will wilt down). Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot using your spoon to incorporate that flavor into the cabbage. 

Finally, add the chicken stock to the pot. Stir it in and allow the liquid to come up to a boil. Allow the liquid to boil for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, decrease the stove’s temperature to medium-low and cover the pot. 

Braised cabbage needs to cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time, until the tough leaves soften. 

What are some dishes that go well with this Braised Cabbage?

Remove the cover once the cooking time is up and sprinkle the crisp bacon pieces into the pot. Stir to incorporate the bacon throughout the cabbage. 

Because braised cabbage has such deep flavors, it goes well with:

• Jerk Pernil (Roast Pork Shoulder)

• Coffee-Rubbed Smoked Beef Brisket

• Ham with Spiced Brown Sugar Pineapple Glaze

Additionally, you can serve braised cabbage with grilled or steamed poultry, fish, or seafood.

You can also serve it with a slice of cornbread for a lighter meal. 

How do I store leftovers?

Store braised cabbage in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4 days. 

To reheat leftover braised cabbage, put it in a microwave-safe container and heat on high for 2 minutes. Make sure to stir it after 1 minute, so it heats evenly. 

You can also reheat braised cabbage in a pot over medium heat. Just stir it occasionally and heat it until it’s warmed through, or 10 minutes. 

Can I freeze leftovers?

To freeze braised cabbage, transfer it to a freezer storage bag and freeze it laying down. Once it’s frozen solid, you can stand the bag up, so it takes up less space.

Freeze braised cabbage for 2 months. Simply put it in the refrigerator to thaw it and reheat as instructed above.  

This Braised Cabbage with Bacon might become your go-to side dish for most meals. You’re going to love the rich, meaty flavors in this dish. Be sure to pin it to your side dish boards and share it with your friends and family. 

Braised Cabbage with Bacon

Marta Rivera at Sense & Edibility

5 from 4 votes

Braised Cabbage with Bacon is a succulent side dish of tender green cabbage simmered in a rich broth and flecked with crisp, thick-cut bacon.

Servings: 8

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Equipment

• 6-quart or larger Dutch oven

Ingredients

  

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• 9 slices (13 ounces or 365 grams) thick-cut bacon sliced in 1/2-inch thick strips
• 1 medium (2 cups or 175 grams) white onion peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 4 large cloves (1/4 cup or 25 grams) garlic peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) brown sugar
• 1 head (6 cups or 1 kilogram) green cabbage cut into 1-inch strips (see post for how to cut the cabbage)
• 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons (11 grams) seasoned salt plus more to taste
• 2 large bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon (3 grams) caraway seeds optional
• 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) crushed red pepper flakes optional
• 1 cup (250 milliliters) chicken stock

Instructions 

Crisp the Bacon

• Add the cut bacon to the dutch oven, then turn the stove on to medium-high.

  Cook the bacon for 10 minutes, frequently stirring, until it is browned and crisp.  
• Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the bacon from the pot to a dish or bowl lined with a paper towel.

  Allow the bacon to drain while you finish the recipe. 

Sauté the Cabbage

• Carefully discard all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon grease from the pot. 

  Add the sliced onion and garlic to the remaining grease in the pot and sauté them over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
• Add the brown sugar to the pot and stir the onions and garlic into the glaze it creates.

  Caramelize the onions and garlic for 2 minutes, frequently stirring. If the contents in the pot start to emit an acrid smoke, decrease the temperature to medium. 
• Add the cabbage, vinegar, seasoned salt, bay leaves, caraway seeds, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the pot.

  Toss the cabbage in the pot as best you can (it'll probably be full, but it will wilt down). Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot using your spoon to incorporate that flavor into the cabbage. 

Simmer the Cabbage Until Tender

• Stir the chicken stock into the contents of the pot.

  Allow the liquid to come up to a boil, then let it boil for 3 minutes.
• After 3 minutes, decrease the stove's temperature to medium-low and cover the pot. 

  Cook the cabbage for at least 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time, until the tough leaves soften. 
• Remove the cover once the cooking time is up and sprinkle the crisp bacon pieces into the pot. Stir to incorporate the bacon throughout the cabbage.

  Adjust the seasoning by adding more seasoned salt or black pepper to taste.

  Serve as a side dish or as a main course with cornbread or biscuits.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions

• Green cabbage substitutions: red cabbage, savoy cabbage, or Napa cabbage.
• Chicken stock substitutions: beef or vegetable stock. 
• Pork Bacon substitutions: thick-cut beef or turkey bacon.
• Caraway substitutions: fennel seeds, cumin seeds, or omit the caraway altogether.

Tips and Techniques

• Thick-cut bacon is best used in this recipe because it will maintain its shape and not crumble like regular bacon. 
• Starting the bacon in a cold pot and allowing it to come up to temperature renders the fat from the meat better. As a result, your bacon is crisper because you've rendered more fat from it. 

Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions

• Store braised cabbage in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
• To freeze braised cabbage, transfer it to a freezer storage bag and freeze it laying down for 2 months. Once it's frozen solid, you can stand the bag up, so it takes up less space.
  Simply put it in the refrigerator to thaw it and reheat.  
• To reheat leftover braised cabbage, put it in a microwave-safe container and heat on high for 2 minutes. Make sure to stir it after 1 minute, so it heats evenly. 
  You can also reheat braised cabbage in a pot over medium heat. Just stir it occasionally and heat it until it's warmed through, or 10 minutes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 35kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 531mgPotassium: 56mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 53IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg

Course Side Dish

Cuisine African American, Soul Food

Keyword bacon, braised, cabbage

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