Southern Cabbage and Rice

Sooooo I LOVE cabbage!  It has always been one of my favorite dishes.  When I was little my grandparents would always make my my favorite foods for my birthday and I would ask for Cabbage & Rice (can't nobody do it like my grandma) and these loaded potatoes (can't nobody do it like my grandpa).  Well since I'm grown and I have a man that I like to cook for (when he lets me because he's a chef lol).  I've been working on new dishes to make that I know he'll love.  He's a southern man to the bone.  Country boy all day...even when he tries to hide it.  I love that about him...he's truly a gentleman and proves that chivalry is NOT dead - well not for me since I'm with him.  But that's another blog soon to come.

Back to the food!  So I made some cabbage and rice a while back and it turned out to be a big hit.  Everyone makes it a little different and has their quirks.  I'll give you the basics of what I did and my little tweaks to make it perfect for 'M' but feel free to tweak it however you see fit.

Here's what you'll need:
Cabbage (2 Heads serves about 4-6 people)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Pepper
Salt
Butter
Chicken Broth
Bacon or a smoked meat for seasoning
Rice

Step 1: 

• Cut the cabbage in quarters and then cut it into about 4 or so sections from there.  Cut the hard white center out and toss it.  Put the cut cabbage in a strainer rinse it and let it sit for a minute. 
• Cut about a pound of bacon into 1" pieces.  *I use applewood and pepper bacon because 'M' loves those but you can use salt pork, pig feet or whatever you'd like to use.*
• Put the bacon in a fairly large pot to brown it. Stir it and make sure all of it browns and you can see some of the juices running out in the pot.  This will help for flavor. 

Step 2:

• Once the bacon has browned start adding the cabbage to the pot.  It will fill the pot upand may stick out a little.  That's fine as long as you can press the lid down over it. 
• Add about 3/4 can of chicken broth per 2 heads of lettuce you use.  Then add about a 1/2 cup of water.  Cover and let it simmer for about 10 minutes minutes on medium high.

Step 3: 

• Once it's simmered for about 5 minutes remove the lid and start seasoning the cabbage.  There's no right or wrong (unless you over do it lol) way to season.  You do it to taste.  Start with about about a tablespoon of all the dry seasons and 2 tablespoons of butter.  
• Stir the cabbage (as much as possible...the pot is still looking full) and try to mix some of the bacon into the cabbage.  Cover the pot again and let it simmer another 10 minutes still on medium high.

Step 4:

• Check on the cabbage and throw some more dry season in the mix.  I do about another tablespoon of everything except pepper (maybe a dash here and there of pepper, but don't over do it). 
• Stir it up some more and get the bacon mixed in more.  
• At this point the cabbage should be getting more limp and easier to stir and mix all the goodness together.  
• Turn the fire down to medium and cover the pot. 
• Let the cabbage simmer about another 15 minutes stirring occasionally.  
• Once it's nice and limp turn the fire down to low and add more seasoning if you like.

Step 5: 

• Cook your rice and serve the cabbage over the rice.  
• Regular white rice or Jasmine rice is the best with this.  *I'm old school and I like to make my rice on the stove...but a rice cooker is cool too :)
• Enjoy :)

Please pin, tweet, FB or share somewhere if you liked this recipe :).  Comment and let me know if you try it, plan to try it, tweak it or have any questions.  Feedback is much appreciated :)