How many of you remember your Mother or Grandmother rendering pork fat or lard?
I remember when I was small, my Mama, Judy Elliott, had an aluminum canister on the stove. The canister had a shallow cup in the top with holes and a lid. When Mama would fry bacon, she would drain the grease into that can and the small cup/strainer would catch all the little bits and leave behind clean grease. She would use that grease to season greens, cabbage and many other dishes.
Today I cooked cabbage for dinner, and I remembered how my Mama used to cook it. I, however, took short-cuts because I was in a hurry! I like to slow down and cook the way she did because, frankly, it tastes better!
- Head of Cabbage, cored and rough chopped
- 2 strips of Bacon
- Salt & Pepper
Fry the bacon is a frying pan or a wide bottom pan. Remove bacon and place on paper towels. Do not drain grease from pan. Add cabbage. Crumble bacon and add it to the cabbage. Carefully add about a 1/4 cup of water. Cover and let steam for about 10 or 15 minutes.
*My Grandmama Elliott would let her cabbage cook all day until it was completely limp. Mama said that that was wrong! "Never let it cook that long Lynn!"