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Southern Fried Cabbage

Tender cabbage mixed with crispy fried bacon pieces. A delicious side or main dish. Easy to make! Recipe and photography by Beverly Davis for CornbreadMillionaire.com.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Cuisine: southern
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 medium head of fresh cabbage
  • 4-6 strips of bacon I use low-sodium bacon.
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Or use margarine.
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided Or use grated garlic.
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder, divided
  • salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups water, divided

Instructions

  • Remove core from cabbage.
  • Chop into bite-size pieces. Place in a colander or large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Rinse thoroughly in warm water. Drain and set aside.
  • Over low-medium heat, fry bacon in a dutch oven or large heavy bottomed saucepan. Place crispy fried bacon on paper towels. Drain bacon grease into a heatproof container. Set aside. Do not scrape off delicious drippings stuck in bottom.
  • Turn heat off. Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (or margarine) to hot pan. Stir until melted.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, salt to taste, ground black pepper, and 1-1/2 cups of water. Use a rubber spatula to stir mixture and to scrape drippings off bottom of pan.
  • Pour in chopped cabbage. Stir until evenly coated with liquid mixture. Simmer over low-medium heat for 10-12 minutes stirring constantly.
  • Taste a sample. For more tenderness, pour in remaining 1/2 cup of water. For more flavor, add remaining 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder.
  • Stir until well combined. Simmer on low-medium heat for 10 minutes or until desired tenderness. Stir constantly to prevent sticking.
  • Serve hot with crumbled pieces of crispy cooked bacon.

Notes

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VARIATION:  Southern Fried Cabbage Slices & Wedges
After thoroughly rinsing cabbage, slice in half. 
Place 2 slices in large pot with bacon drippings, water and seasonings. 
Cover pot with lid.  Simmer over low-medium heat until fork tender.  Add 1/4 cup of water if necessary to help reach desired tenderness.
After cooking, gently remove slices from pot with a spatula and place on serving plate.  Slice into wedges or serve whole. 
Before serving, sprinkle with crumbled/cooked bacon.