If you are out of luck in ideas for St. Patrick’s Day side dishes, this cabbage and bacon recipe will save you time. The chopped cabbage is soaked in chicken broth, bacon fat and white wine vinegar, giving a nice balance of salty and sour.
The salt factor heightens with the crispy bacon bits; they will be easy to find amongst the cabbage, unlike a four-leaf clover. Here are some tips and information on how to enjoy this recipe.
Slow Cooker Advantages
When it comes to cooking, one usually needs to constantly watch the food. With the slow cooker, that is not a problem. You can literally dump your ingredients into the cooker and let it cook for hours without constant supervision.
Other advantages of using a slow cooker include using less electricity, not overheating your kitchen, and having less clean-up afterwards.
Ingredients in Slow Cooker Cabbage & Bacon
- cabbage
- bacon
- white wine vinegar
- chicken broth
- butter (optional)
Main Dishes that go with Cabbage & Bacon
Since this is a side dish, it can be paired with many main dishes on St. Patrick’s Day. One of the most popular dishes is the Shepherd’s pie. Most people think that Shepherd’s pie is made of beef, but that is not the case. If it’s made with beef, that is called a cottage pie. Shepherd’s pie is made from lamb, hence the name, because shepherds take care of sheep.
While a shepherd’s pie is delicious, corned beef is a great meat to have with this recipe. Cabbage can be a great side dish to most chicken, beef, or pork main dishes. You could also combine it with another side, such as mashed potatoes.
Tweaks & Beverage Pairings
If you want to be creative with the corned beef and cabbage, you can combine them between two bread slices and make your own version of the Reuben sandwich.
As for drinks, the most well-known alcoholic drink associated with Ireland is the classic Guinness. For a unique touch, turn your Guinness into a cocktail with this Black Fog recipe.
What main dish will you choose to go with this delicious, salty side dish?
St. Patrick’s Day Slow Cooker Cabbage & Bacon
Ingredients
- 6 cups green cabbage - cored and chopped into large squares
- 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp. butter - optional
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. ground pepper
- 8 strips raw bacon - chopped into squares
Instructions
- Add the cabbage, vinegar, broth, butter, salt and pepper to the slow cooker.
- Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, until golden. Add the bacon and the bacon grease to the slow cooker.
- Mix well. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 3-4 hours, or until desired softness. (I like to give it another mix half way through.)
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve!
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Looking for a St. Patrick’s Day dessert idea? Try our St. Patrick’s Day Peppermint Whipped Cream