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Southern Cabbage Boil Recipe

Chopped green cabbage simmered low and slow with rendered bacon, smoked sausage, chicken broth, and Cajun seasoning until fork-tender and steeped in savory pot likker. The Southern classic that TikTok made viral.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Soul Food, Southern
Servings 6
Calories 290 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large head green cabbage, cored and chopped into 1 to 2-inch pieces
  • 4 strips bacon, chopped
  • 12 oz smoked sausage or andouille, sliced into coins
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp Creole seasoning (Tony Chachere's)
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Salt to taste (add at the end)

Instructions
 

  • Cook chopped bacon in a large heavy stockpot over medium heat until fat renders and bacon crisps, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove bacon and set aside. Leave fat in pot.
  • Increase heat to medium-high. Add sausage coins and cook until browned on cut sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook in remaining fat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
  • Add chopped cabbage in batches, stirring to coat in fat. Add all seasonings and stir to combine.
  • Pour in chicken broth. Nestle sausage back into the pot. Cover tightly and reduce to medium-low.
  • Cook 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until cabbage is fork-tender. Check at 20 minutes.
  • Add butter and stir until melted. Add apple cider vinegar and stir. Taste for salt and adjust.
  • Return bacon to pot. Serve with cornbread and pot likker spooned over everything.

Notes

Cut cabbage wide: 1 to 2-inch pieces prevent mushiness. Thin shreds go slimy.
Season aggressively: Cabbage absorbs seasoning. Taste at every stage and add more than feels comfortable.
Vinegar is not optional: The apple cider vinegar at the end brightens the dish. Without it, even a well-seasoned pot tastes flat.
Make ahead: Flavors improve significantly overnight. Excellent meal prep.
Vegetarian swap: Replace bacon with 2 tbsp coconut oil, add 1/2 tsp liquid smoke, use vegetable broth.
One-pot meal: Add 1 lb halved baby red potatoes with the cabbage.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat stovetop with a splash of broth.