Braised Cabbage with Bacon

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: African American, Soul Food

Keyword: bacon, braised, cabbage

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1

Servings:

Calories: 35kcal

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.