Skillet Cowboy Cabbage Recipe
Growing up in the west, cowboy culture was infused into my daily life, from the clothing to the music and just about anything else in-between. When it came to cuisine, plenty of diners and eateries cooked up Tex-Mex-style dishes that honored the cowboy way of cooking. This skillet cowboy cabbage recipe is a great example of such cuisine, adding a western-inspired flair to otherwise ho-hum cabbage. It all starts with onions, garlic, and spices cooked down in bacon fat with the cabbage, and a shot of bourbon adds an extra level of depth and warmth. Crispy bits of bacon, spicy and tangy pickled jalapeños, and fresh scallions top off this side dish (one that's hearty enough to stand alone as a main course, too).
A big part of cowboy cuisine is a reliance on humble ingredients, often ones that could withstand long stretches on the plains with little to no refrigeration. Beans, potatoes and other tubers, dried meats, fruits, and nuts were common cowboy carry-alongs, as were some amount of fresh produce items, like hearty cabbage, that could weather the course. This skillet cabbage recipe also relies on simple ingredients, including lots of pantry staples, transforming them into a slightly more modern dish, all while maintaining that same hearty, rustic, Southwestern appeal.
Gather the skillet cowboy cabbage ingredients
To make this hearty skillet cowboy cabbage, you will start by rendering the fat from thick-cut smoked bacon. This fat is then used to cook a sliced yellow onion, minced garlic cloves, smoked paprika, and ground cumin. Next comes the star of the recipe: a sturdy head of green cabbage. You'll cook the cabbage down with chicken bone broth, apple cider vinegar, adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers, and a healthy splash of bourbon for added depth.
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper provide extra seasoning, along with a squeeze of fresh lime juice to brighten up the flavors. You will garnish your skillet cowboy cabbage with slivered scallions and sliced pickled jalapeños (you can also add a bit of the pickling brine for some extra heat).
Step 1: Cook the bacon
In a large cast-iron skillet, cook the bacon over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Step 2: Remove the bacon from the skillet
Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon bits to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
Step 3: Saute the onion
Increase the heat to medium and add the sliced onion to the bacon fat. Saute until softened and starting to brown.
Step 4: Add the spices
Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, and cumin. Cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Step 5: Add the chopped cabbage in batches
Add the chopped cabbage to the skillet (work in batches if it won't all fit at first).
Step 6: Cook the cabbage until softened
Toss the cabbage with the spiced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften (about 15 minutes total with adding cabbage in batches).
Step 7: Whisk together the broth, bourbon, vinegar, and adobo sauce
While the cabbage cooks, whisk together the broth, bourbon, vinegar, and adobo sauce.
Step 8: Add the sauce to the cabbage
Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits in the pan.
Step 9: Allow the glaze to reduce
Continue cooking until the liquid reduces to glaze consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 10: Add the bacon to the skillet
Turn off the heat and toss the cabbage with the crispy bacon, salt, and pepper in the skillet.
Step 11: Juice the lime over the cabbage
Juice the lime over the cabbage and stir to coat.
Step 12: Garnish and serve the skillet cowboy cabbage
Top the cabbage with the pickled jalapeños and sliced scallions. Serve immediately.
What to serve with skillet cowboy cabbage
Skillet Cowboy Cabbage Recipe
This skillet cowboy cabbage recipe infuses Tex-Mex-inspired flavors by way of spices, bourbon, bacon, and adobo sauce, resulting in ultra-tender, silky cabbage.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces thick-cut smoked bacon, cut into ¼-inch strips
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 large (2-pound) head green cabbage, cored and cut into 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup chicken bone broth
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons canned adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 large lime
- ¼ cup pickled jalapeños
- ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions (white and green parts)
Directions
- In a large cast-iron skillet, cook the bacon over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon bits to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the sliced onion to the bacon fat. Saute until softened and starting to brown.
- Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, and cumin. Cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the chopped cabbage to the skillet (work in batches if it won’t all fit at first).
- Toss the cabbage with the spiced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften (about 15 minutes total with adding cabbage in batches).
- While the cabbage cooks, whisk together the broth, bourbon, vinegar, and adobo sauce.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits in the pan.
- Continue cooking until the liquid reduces to glaze consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and toss the cabbage with the crispy bacon, salt, and pepper in the skillet.
- Juice the lime over the cabbage and stir to coat.
- Top the cabbage with the pickled jalapeños and sliced scallions. Serve immediately.
What makes cowboy cabbage different from other types of cabbage recipes?
What makes this skillet cowboy cabbage different from other cabbage recipes you may have tried is the way the seasonings transform this cruciferous vegetable into a buttery-textured flavor bomb. First, the spices are infused into bacon fat, allowing them to bloom and release their full flavors. The cabbage and other aromatic vegetables immediately take on the flavors of the spiced fat. Braising the cabbage in a mix of broth, vinegar, bourbon, and spicy adobo breaks down the fibers even more, transforming the crunch into a tender, silky bite.
There is no set ingredient list for cowboy cabbage, so use your imagination and let your tastebuds be your guide. The key is transforming simple ingredients all while infusing a distinct dose of Southwestern-inspired flavor. If you want to round out the skillet into more of a true meal, consider adding steak tips, short ribs, pinto beans, or cheese.
What is adobo sauce, and what are some other ways to use it?
Adobo sauce is a thick and spicy condiment, frequently used for packing chipotle chiles in cans. The sauce itself is usually a combination of chiles, tomatoes, vinegar, and spices that is cooked down and pureed. When used for packing chipotles, some of the smoky flavor from the peppers also seeps into the sauce. Adobo sauce is most often associated with Mexican cuisine, and it's not to be mistaken for Caribbean-style adobo, which is a dry spice blend, or Filipino adobo, which is a type of stew.
Adobo sauce is wonderfully versatile and functions as a hot sauce you might use from a bottle. It is especially delicious with breakfast foods such as scrambled eggs, egg casseroles, omelettes, breakfast tacos or burritos. Slathering some adobo in a grilled cheese or on pizza crust is another great use, as the tangy flavor pairs exceptionally well with cheeses like cheddar or cotija. I enjoy stirring a couple of spoonfuls into soups or stews, or using it as a burger sauce. Adobo sauce also commonly functions as a marinade, and it works especially well with proteins like chicken or pork.