How To Cook Cabbage With Smoked Turkey Tails

This Southern cabbage recipe features boiled cabbage in a smoky, meaty broth with seasonings and spices. A savory and succulent Southern side dish that is a staple on our Sunday dinner table!

southern cabbage recipe with smoked turkey

Cabbage in Southern and soul food cuisine isn’t just about healthy greens; it’s about a flavorful transformation. Marrekus, who grew up in Tennessee, says this Southern cabbage recipe was on a weekly rotation at his house. It’s now one of our family’s favorite recipes, along with mixed greens and collard greens. Everyone always goes back for seconds and even thirds.

I especially love how the boiled cabbage with smoked turkey comes out tender and buttery with a kick of spice. The secret to achieving perfectly tender cabbage is to simmer it in a flavorful broth. The longer it boils, the more tender it becomes. The broth is sooo delicious, perfect for slurping. It’s one of those dishes that exemplify the saying, “Good things come to those who wait.”

What is Boiled Cabbage?

Boiled cabbage is a classic Southern side dish. It’s often simmered with flavorful ingredients such as smoked turkey, ham hocks, or bacon for added richness and depth of flavor. The cabbage is typically chopped or sliced and cooked until tender, soaking up the seasonings and smokiness of the meat.

Ingredients

1 head of cabbage, roughly chopped
3-4 quarts water
1 smoked turkey leg (or 1 pound turkey wings, or 2 tails, or 2 hocks)
2 teaspoons chicken base (or 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Tip: Smoked turkey is found in most major grocery stores. It is most commonly sold as legs (drumsticks), either whole or chopped in half. You can also use necks, wings, or tails, or hocks.

Recipe Variations

Collard Greens and Cabbage are mixed greens cooked together and simmered in a flavorful smoky broth, with seasonings, onions, ham hocks, and red pepper flakes.
Fried Cabbage is another Southern favorite. Sliced cabbage is sautéed with onions, garlic, and often bacon or smoked meat until it becomes tender and slightly caramelized. It’s a simple and flavorful side dish.

Boiled Cabbage with Ham Hocks or Neck Bones

Another way to make this southern cabbage recipe is to use pork. Smoked hocks are pork shanks that come from the shoulder. Neck bones are another popular type of meat used in southern soul food. Both enhance the broth’s flavor and are often used in soups and stews, lending a smoky and rich flavor.

How to Pick Cabbage

Make sure to select a firm head of cabbage with no wilted leaves. This is especially important when shopping at the grocery store because oftentimes the produce will be days old. If you can find a local farmer’s market that sells it, that’s even better.

How to Cook

Step 1: Make the broth. Cook turkey in a pot of water, about 3-4 quarts, or enough to cover the entire leg. Add chicken-flavored bouillon, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon pepper, chili powder, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Marrekus also adds Worcestershire sauce and a little apple cider vinegar.

Step 2: Pull meat from the bone. After one hour, remove the meat from the pot and separate it from the bone. The broth should be very flavorful and the meat should be tender by this point. Discard the bones and set the pulled meat aside.

Step 3: Cut and clean cabbage. Cut cabbage wedges then do a rough chop; rinse to remove any grit. Properly washing and cutting the cabbage is important and can affect the final taste and texture.

Southern Cabbage Recipe (Boiled Cabbage)

Step 4: Finish cooking. Add cabbage to the pot of broth and simmer for about 45 minutes, (cook times vary) or until it’s fork-tender. The last step is to add the pulled meat back to the pot before serving.

What to Serve with Southern Cabbage

Complementary side dishes to southern cabbage include pinto beans, collard greens, and cornbread. It also pairs well with pork chops, turkey necks, Mississippi roast, fried chicken, and catfish.

Storage and Reheating

Boiled cabbage tastes even better the next day! The seasonings have time to penetrate and the cabbage becomes more tender and infused with the rich flavors of the broth.

Storage

After preparing this Southern cabbage recipe, allow it to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer it to an airtight container or a covered bowl. Make sure to store it in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking.
Boiled cabbage can be safely refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.

Reheating

Stovetop: To reheat on the stovetop, place it in a saucepan and add a little broth to prevent sticking. Gently heat it over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
Microwave: If you’re short on time, reheating in the microwave is a quick option. Place your boiled cabbage in a microwave-safe dish, cover it, and heat in short intervals, stirring in between to ensure even heating.