Marianne Martinez
Ham and cabbage is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for using up leftover ham. This simple recipe involves slowly cooking chunks of ham and cabbage in a flavourful broth seasoned with celery salt, garlic, onion, and apple cider vinegar. The entire dish is slow-cooked to perfection and packed with flavour. This meal can be made in a crock pot or slow cooker, making it an excellent option for busy days.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Ham, cabbage, apple, onion, celery salt, garlic, apple cider vinegar, broth, butter, salt, pepper |
| Ham Type | Cooked (ready-to-eat) ham, not fresh (uncooked) ham |
| Ham Size | 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces |
| Cabbage Size | Bite-sized pieces, about 1-1 ½ inch chunks |
| Broth Type | Chicken, beef, vegetable, or any kind |
| Apple Type | Any kind, preferably with both tartness and sweetness (e.g., Honeycrisp or Braeburn) |
| Butter | Optional, adds richness |
| Potatoes | Optional, peeled and cubed |
| Spices | Salt, pepper, paprika, bay leaf |
| Cooking Time | 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low |
| Serving Suggestions | Fried cornbread, cornbread muffins, or cornbread with a kick (Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread) |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Preparing the cabbage
If you're using a whole head of cabbage, cut it into two halves and place one half at the bottom of the crock pot, followed by the ham, and then top it with the other half of the cabbage. Alternatively, you can shred the cabbage for a different texture.
Some recipes suggest adding water to the crock pot, but opinions vary. Some cooks recommend against adding water as the cabbage releases enough liquid during cooking, and excess water can dilute the flavours. Instead of water, you can use chicken broth or chicken stock to enhance the flavour of the dish.
Once you've prepared the cabbage, you can move on to the next steps of the recipe, which include adding the ham, seasonings, and other ingredients to create a delicious crock pot meal.
Nonstick Pans: Non-Reactive Cookware for Your Kitchen
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Preparing the ham
Place the cubed ham at the bottom of your crock pot or slow cooker. If you're using a 6-quart crock pot, you'll need about 1 to 1.5 pounds of ham. Layer the chopped cabbage on top of the ham. You can also add peeled and cubed potatoes to the mix if desired.
If you're using a ham bone or ham hock, you might want to consider adding a cup of chicken broth or water to the crock pot. However, some people strongly advise against adding water, as it can dilute the flavour of the dish.
Feel free to season the ham with salt and pepper, but be mindful of the sodium content of the ham. If you're sodium-sensitive, you can skip the salt and add other seasonings like paprika and black pepper instead.
Sheet Pan Asparagus: An Easy, Quick, and Tasty Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Adding broth and seasonings
When it comes to adding broth and seasonings to your crock pot cabbage and ham, there are several options to choose from. Firstly, you can use any type of broth you like, such as chicken, beef, or vegetable broth. You can also make your own homemade chicken broth by placing a rotisserie chicken carcass in your slow cooker with water, salt, parsley, and thyme.
For seasonings, you can add salt and pepper to taste. However, if you are sodium-sensitive, you can omit the salt and add a no-salt seasoning instead, as the ham already contains a high amount of sodium. You can also add paprika, but only in moderation, as too much can be overpowering. Additionally, you can include celery salt, garlic, onion, and apple cider vinegar to your crock pot for extra flavour.
If you want to add a little more spice, black pepper is a good option, but again, it should be used in moderation. You can also include chopped onion, apple, and garlic to the crock pot, which will add a nice aroma and sweetness to the dish. Finally, you can dot the top of the dish with butter before cooking, which will add a nice richness to the flavour profile.
Banana Pudding: Foil Pan Friendly Dessert
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Cooking time and temperature
The cooking time and temperature for crock pot cabbage and ham will depend on your preference for texture and the type of crock pot you are using.
For a crock pot with a larger capacity, you can cook the dish on a medium setting for an extended period. If your crock pot is smaller or less efficient, you may need to set it to high.
If you prefer a denser, richer texture, you can cook the dish on low for 8 hours or more. For a less dense result, 4 hours on high should suffice.
If you are short on time, you can cook the dish on high for 5-6 hours, but be aware that the cabbage may not be as tender as when cooked for longer.
In general, crock pot recipes for cabbage and ham recommend cooking on low for 5-8 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours.
Peter Pan's Belly: Getting Bigger and Better
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Serving suggestions
This crock pot cabbage and ham recipe is a great way to use leftover ham and can be served on its own or with a side of vegetables. It is a tasty dish to enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
You can serve this dish with warm bread and butter, or fried cornbread or cornbread muffins. You can also serve it with a side of vegetables such as butternut squash cakes, a sweet onion pepper stir fry, or broccoli salad.
If you want to add more vegetables to the dish itself, you can replace some of the cabbage with other cut vegetables, such as potatoes, cauliflower, celery, and/or carrots. You can also add in bay leaves, diced potatoes, bell pepper, and onions.
If you are looking for a low-carb option, you can serve this dish with boiled potatoes on the side. You can also add in other meats, such as leftover ground beef, pork, or chicken.
Floor Pan Prep: Is It Really That Hard?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
You will need ham, cabbage, broth, apple, onion, garlic, celery salt, apple cider vinegar, butter, salt, and pepper.
You should use cooked (ready-to-eat) ham.
First, chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Then, chop the apple, onion, and garlic. Cube the ham into 1 to 1.5-inch pieces.
Add the chopped apple, onion, garlic, and cabbage to the crock pot. Then, add the ham. Pour in the broth, followed by the apple cider vinegar, celery salt, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together. Finally, add butter on top, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
You can use any type of broth you like, such as chicken, beef, or vegetable.
