The Best Southern Stove Top Cabbage (With Tender Smoked Turkey)!!!

This Southern-style cabbage recipe has to be one of the best stove top cabbage recipes online. It’s full of flavor, juicy, and packed with smoked salty fat meat. I am a fan of cabbage so it’s no surprise this is the 2nd cabbage recipe I’ve posted. Check out my Fried Cabbage Recipe, it’s a fan favorite and received tons of views on YouTube and Facebook. Cabbage goes with anything and it’s so simple because all you need is a big skillet.

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Listen, you have to try this if you’re looking for a delicious, simple, and easy-to-follow cabbage recipe. It’s juicy, tasty, and packed with flavor—this is what I call cabbage at its best.

I think it’s the perfect vegetable side dish, especially for a family dinner. I didn’t experiment with this recipe because cabbage is one of my favorite vegetables, and I have made it a thousand times!

This was pretty easy to perfect. I just had to add numbers to it to make it an official recipe. So here it is, y’all, some of the best soul food-style cabbage around. Give it a shot; you won’t be disappointed.

Looking for another recipe to go with this? Search for it here!

Why I love this recipe:

• Crowd-pleasing: This will definitely get people at the party talking! I know because every time I take some to a big get-together, people rave about how good it is.
• An all-in-one dish: You get your veggies and protein all in one serving. I can eat this ALONE; I don’t even need a main course, but that’s usually how I serve it. Lol!
• Convenient: It’s convenient because all you need is one skillet, two heads of cabbage, some smoked meat, and a few simple ingredients. 

What you need:

Here are all the ingredients we’ll be using for this fiya cabbage recipe and some of the tools you’ll need to make preparing this an easy process. I’ll also list alternatives to some of the ingredients you might not have in the crib!

• Liquid: I’m using chicken broth to cook the meat and simmer the cabbage.
• Smoked meat: I’m using smoked turkey tails to add a smoked turkey flavor to the cabbage.
• Vegetables: Onions, Peppers, carrots, and minced garlic are my add-ins for depth of flavor.
• Seasonings: Seasoning Salt, Tony’s, Garlic & Onion Powder, Parsley, Sugar, and black pepper.
• Heat: Crushed Red Peppers

Tools:

• Knife: You’ll need a sharp knife to remove the stalk and chop up the cabbage and vegetables.
• Large Skillet: We’re making a nice amount of cabbage, so a large skillet is necessary.
• Slotted Spoon: Use a big spoon to stir the cabbage as it cooks and to serve it.
• Measuring Cups: A measuring cup will help us accurately measure the vegetables we’ll be using.
• Measuring Spoons: Measuring spoons are great for accurately measuring the seasonings.

Don’t have some of these ingredients? I got you!!

My grandma would say, when things don’t go as you want, IMPROVISE!!! Lol! So, if you don’t have some of these ingredients at home, let me give you some alternatives you can use.

When your teacher decided to call out, school wasn’t canceled. When one of your friends says they can’t make it to your party, it doesn’t stop, right? Well, neither are we. We’re going to make this thing work! Lol!  

The liquid and alternatives

Okay, so if you don’t have any chicken broth, which yall know I’m in love with, you can use vegetable broth. If you don’t have that either, make your broth by combining 1 quart of water with four chicken flavor bouillon cubes.

They say 1 cup of water and one bouillon cube = 1 cup of chicken broth, so since you’ll be using one qt of water, use 4 chicken bouillon cubes and season the cabbage to your liking to make up for the lost flavor from the chicken broth.

Smoked meat and alternatives

Now, when it comes to my choice of meat, honestly, I just switch it up from time to time and usually use whatever smoked meat I have on hand. I like using turkey necks and ham hocks the most though.

But since this recipe is for you all, and since people are pretty health-conscious nowadays, I decided to use smoked turkey tails. Turkey necks and legs are great alternatives, too, and even pork bacon.

Be mindful that different meats take different amounts of time to cook. For example, turkey tails don’t take as long as turkey necks and Ham hocks. Just make sure you add the cabbage to about 2 cups of liquid by the time your meat is done.

That’s about the amount of liquid your cabbage needs to cook in. Covering it will help produce the moisture and steam you need to cook it through. Cabbage produces a lot of liquid, as I talked about in my Fried Cabbage Recipe, so a lot of liquid isn’t needed. 

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The vegetable add-ins

Now, onions, carrots, and peppers are a must when it comes to cabbage add-ins, and they really can’t be replaced. Now, the minced garlic isn’t needed, but I’ll be the first to tell you garlic powder and minced garlic taste different, so you’ll find me adding both to a lot of my food.

A good substitute for minced garlic is garlic cloves. You can warm some in a bowl with a little olive oil and mash it until it’s minced, and then you have homemade minced garlic.

We’re already adding garlic powder to this recipe so the minced garlic isn’t really needed to begin with. But I’m weird and like to add both garlic powder and minced garlic to many of my recipes, because it feels right. Lol!

Plus, I happen to think they taste a little different. But adding more garlic powder to replace the minced garlic is definitely an option as well. Garlic is important when making cabbage; that’s the point. It’s not cabbage without the garlic.

The Seasonings:

• Seasonings: I like to use seasoning salt, Lawry’s seasoning, to be exact. But you can use your favorite complete seasoning if you don’t have seasoning salt and Tony’s on hand. You can keep it simple and just use salt. Just be mindful that salt is stronger, so don’t use the same amount; use a little less.
• Garlic powder: If you don’t have garlic powder, hopefully, you have minced garlic, if so,  just add a few teaspoons to replace the garlic powder.
• Onion powder, Parsley, and black pepper: These seasonings won’t alter the taste of the cabbage much, so you’ll be fine without them. But I’m assuming you’ll have most of these ingredients. Everybody has garlic, onion powder, and black pepper in their cabinet.
• Heat: Okay, so you have a few options here. If you don’t have any crushed red pepper flakes on deck, which I love because they add heat and color, you can simply replace them with cayenne pepper, slap ya mama seasoning, smoked paprika, or a hint of tobacco.
• More on the heat: I add a little heat just to spice the cabbage up. Yall know me, I like balanced food with layers of flavor and a little heat just seems to complete the dish.

Why do you add sugar to vegetable dishes?

I get this question so often under my vegetable recipes: “Why add sugar to a savory dish?” Sugar isn’t just for making things sweet; its a great ingredient to add to acidic dishes that may be a bit too bitter, like spaghetti sauce or collard greens.

So don’t worry—I’m not going to have you cooking sweet cabbage. It just balances out all the acidity and heat in the dish. See it as a water hole or fire extinguisher putting out a fire. Lol!

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Do you wash the cabbage?

I get this question a lot from people on YouTube, and I always tell them that washing cabbage is not necessary. Cabbage is different because it’s in a ball!

So, unlike collard greens, for example, where each leaf and its crevices are exposed, cabbage’s outer layer protects it from dust particles, germs, and debris. So no, you don’t need to clean the cabbage!

How to cut cabbage

When it comes to cutting the cabbage, it’s very simple once you get it down-packed. All you’re trying to do is get rid of the inner core and outer layers of cabbage. Why?

Because the very inner core, the STALK, is too hard, bitter, and doesn’t taste good, and the very outer layer is dirty. I’m going to assist you in cutting the cabbage with step-by-step instructions and photos for illustration. 

1. First, remove the outer layer and slice off the rough stems, as seen in the photo to the far left.
2. Then, cut the head of cabbage in half and remove the hard circular stalk at the bottom.
3. Remove the very white and very inner core. You can keep most of it but remove the hard pieces, if any.
4. Then, chop all the cabbage up into small pieces.
5. Weigh the cabbage on a scale! You want 2 lbs worth of chopped cabbage.

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How to make Southern cabbage

1. Add your meat to a pot or skillet with some liquid, cover with a lid, leaving a crack to the side, and let it simmer until tender.
2. Meanwhile, chop up your vegetables.
3. Once the meat is tender, remove it and chop it up into small pieces if you like.
4. Then, add the chopped meat back to the pot or skillet with the cabbage.
5. Add in the chopped vegetables, butter, and seasonings, then cover with a lid, leaving a small crack to the side.
6. Cook the cabbage until it reaches your desired tenderness.
7. Garnish the cabbage with parsley and crushed peppers.
   
   

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Tips for success:

• If you’re new to cooking, add the salt last because this dish has quite a few high-sodium ingredients. If you’ve made any changes to anything, add a little salt at a time once the cabbage is done to ensure it doesn’t come out on the salty side. Ok?
• Don’t add too much liquid! As I said, cabbage creates a lot of liquid, so be sure not to add more than needed. You may want to start off with even less liquid than what the recipe calls for and add a little more as it cooks if needed.

Main dishes perfect for this recipe

• Grandma’s Sunday Dinner Meatloaf
• Simple Juicy Oven Roasted Whole Chicken Recipe 
• Baked BBQ Chicken Recipe 
• Slow Cooker Smothered Turkey Wings

Storage and reheating

• How to store cabbage? In the refrigerator, you can keep it sealed tightly in a glass bowl covered with a lid or aluminum foil.
• Can you freeze cabbage? I’m not big on freezing cabbage because it’s already pretty soft, and once you unthaw it after days in the freezer, it’ll be a mushy, unedible mess.
• How do you reheat cabbage? You can reheat it in a microwave or a small pot or skillet over low to medium heat. 

Frequently asked questions

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All right, I think you have all the information you need to get started on this recipe. It’s super delicious, and a cabbage recipe your pots will definitely get familiar with. Haha!

I have many recipes to come that I think you’ll love. So make sure you subscribe to get email notifications every time I post and follow me on social media. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Enjoy, later!

PBJ~

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The Best Southern Stove Top Cabbage (With Tender Smoked Turkey)!!!

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

• Author: PhillyboyJay
• Prep Time: 30 Mins
• Cook Time: 2 Hrs
• Total Time: 2 Hr 30 Mins
• Yield: 8
• Category: Vegetable Sides
• Cuisine: Soul Food

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Description

This Southern-style cabbage is succulent and tasty with a flavor you’ll die for, making it the perfect vegetable side dish for a family dinner.

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Ingredients

• 2 Heads of Cabbage
• 1 Qt Chicken Broth
• 1 Lb Smoked Turkey Tails
• 1/2 Cup Onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 Cup Carrots, grated
• 1/4 Cup Green Bell Peppers, finely chopped
• 1/4 Red Bell Peppers, finely chopped
• 2 Tsps Minced Garlic
• 2 Tbs Butter
• 1 Tbs White Sugar
• 2 Tsps Seasoning Salt
• 2 Tsps Tony’s Creole Seasoning
• 2 Tsps Parsley Flakes
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Crushed Red Peppers

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Instructions

1.  Place a skillet or pot over medium heat, add in the broth and turkey tails, then cover with a lid and simmer until tender, for about 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, chop up the cabbage making sure to remove the stalk.
3. Chop the vegetables into small pieces.
4. Once the turkey tails are tender, remove and chop into small pieces.
5. Add the cabbage and chopped vegetables to the pot or skillet along with the chopped meat.
6. Add in the butter and seasonings (except the parsley & crushed red peppers), cover with a lid, and cook for 45 mins to 1 hour or until cabbage reaches your desired tenderness.
7.  Sprinkle in the crushed red peppers and parsley once done. 

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