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Home » Recipes » All Recipes

Slow Cooker Cabbage and Bacon

Published: Dec 2, 2021 · Modified: Mar 4, 2024 by Sarah Baumeister · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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A whole head of cabbage cooked in the Crock Pot is a delicious way to cook this cruciferous veggie. Bacon, chicken stock, and apple cider vinegar flavor this dish simply. Slow Cooker Cabbage is easy to prepare, just let the Crock Pot do all the work so that you can enjoy a flavorful, tender vegetable dish.

cooked cabbage in the slow cooker with a wooden spoon coming out

The first time I had cabbage cooked this way, it was at a restaurant right outside of Houston, TX, called Tin Roof BBQ. The restaurant served all kinds of delicious barbecue and smoked meats along with great sides, such as this one! I knew I had to try and recreate that southern cabbage dish. While I don't know if they cooked it in a Crock Pot (it was most likely fried!), making slow cooked cabbage with this method is so simple and totally the way to go.

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Ingredients for slow cooker cabbage recipe

ingredients for slow cooker cabbage on a white background

Whole head cabbage: Green cabbage holds up well to cooking in the slow cooker and takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked in.


Chicken broth:
Rather than using water to cook the cabbage, I cooked my cabbage in chicken stock. Wherever you can add more flavor, go for it! We aren't making cabbage soup, so only a little chicken broth is added.


Bacon/pancetta: This dish is traditionally made with bacon, and I generally would make it that way. Pancetta an italian cured meat that is similar to bacon, it is just unsmoked. This pancetta came pre-diced, so it was super easy to use. You could also sub in a ham hock. If you do, you will probably not want to add salt, as ham hocks are very salty on their own.


Onion: Onion adds sweetness and extra flavor to this simple cabbage dish. You can either dice or slice the onion in long strips.

ACV: Apple Cider vinegar complements the bacon and cabbage and adds a little "zing!"


Salt: Use salt to help the cabbage soften as well as amplify all of the flavorings.

How to Make Cabbage in the crockpot

Carefully slice cabbage in half lengthwise. Remove the core from both halves and then slice each half into eighths. Scatter the cabbage pieces in the slow cooker. The cabbage takes up a lot of space before it cooks down, so you will want to use a larger slow cooker. I used a 6 quart slow cooker.

cabbage cut in half and the core outlined
core removed from a cabbage half

Began dicing your onion and bacon (or pancetta). Place into a skillet and cook over medium heat until the bacon is crispy and the onions are translucent.

Use a splash of the chicken stock (maybe 2 tbsp.) to deglaze the pan and scrape up any brown bits, as they will be full of flavor.

uncooked pancetta and diced onions in a stainless steel pan
browned onions and pancetta in a stainless steel pan

Pour bacon and onion mixture over the top of the cabbage in the crock pot and add the remaining chicken stock, as well as salt and apple cider vinegar.

cabbage that has been cut into strips on a green cutting board
cabbage with bacon crumbles and diced onion on top

Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 2-3. If you want crisper cabbage, cook for less time.

Two ways to cook cabbage in the crockpot

The nice part about cabbage, as opposed to cooking say, a roast, is that it won't get tough if you cook it on high. I am generally one who prefers to cook everything on the low setting in the slow cooker, but here it really doesn't matter. It's more about how much time you have.

Cook cabbage for less time: The cabbage will be firm and have a bit of crunch to it.

Cook cabbage for more time: The cabbage will start to get silky and and break down. This is my preferred texture, but it is completely personal preference.

slow cooker cabbage and bacon in a green bowl with the ingredients behind it

Want more bacon flavor?

To make this a slightly more healthy crockpot cabbage recipe, I only added about a half a cup of chopped pancetta, but many recipes call for a full slab of bacon in their cabbage. This will have a (tasty) strong bacon flavor! If you do add a full pound of bacon to your cabbage, you may want to drain part of the bacon grease before adding it to the slow cooker.

What to serve with cooked cabbage

Like I mentioned previously, the first time I had cabbage prepared with bacon, it was at a barbecue joint. So anything barbecue would pair really well with cabbage. But this dish is versatile and would also pair with eastern european main dishes too. Serve any of the following with slow cooker cabbage:

  • Instant Pot Pulled Pork
  • Pork Tenderloin with Shallot Cream Sauce
  • Corned Beef
  • Sausages
  • Ribs
  • Brisket

Storage

Store this cabbage dish in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. To reheat, microwave one serving for 30 seconds or place in a saute pan and heat until warmed.

cooked cabbage in the slow cooker with a wooden spoon coming out

Slow Cooker Cabbage and Bacon

Sarah Baumeister
Slow Cooker Cabbage and Bacon is tender and flavorful from being cooked down in the crock pot for an easy cabbage side dish.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 3 hours hrs
Total Time 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Course Instant Pot
Cuisine American, polish
Servings 8
Calories 118 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 green cabbage
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • ½ cup bacon or pancetta
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Instructions
 

  • Carefully slice cabbage in half lengthwise. Remove the core from both halves and then slice each half into eighths. Scatter the cabbage pieces in the slow cooker. The cabbage takes up a lot of space before it cooks down, so you will want to use a larger slow cooker. I used a 6 quart slow cooker.
  • Began dicing your onion and bacon (or pancetta). Place into a skillet and cook over medium heat until the bacon is crispy and the onions are translucent.
  • Use a splash of the chicken stock (maybe 2 tbsp.) to deglaze the pan and scrape up any brown bits, as they will be full of flavor.
  • Pour bacon and onion mixture over the top of the cabbage in the crock pot and add the remaining chicken stock, as well as salt and apple cider vinegar.
  • Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 2-3. If you want crisper cabbage, cook for less time.

Nutrition

Calories: 118kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 444mgPotassium: 307mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 119IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
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Hi, I'm Sarah!

I am a wife, mother, and believer. I have been cooking since I can remember and love sharing recipes with all of you. You will find a variety of recipes here from healthy family dinners, to ways to prepare venison, to soups, to baked goods, anything and everything delicious.

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