Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

bubble and squeek (colcannon)

(3 ratings)
Recipe by
Cynthia Weaver
Woodbury, TN

To my recollection, my Irish Grandmother never made this for the family. If she had, I probably would have remembered. Even as a child I loved boiled cabbage.

(3 ratings)
yield 6 -8
prep time 30 Min
cook time 1 Hr
method Pan Fry

Ingredients For bubble and squeek (colcannon)

  • 1
    head of cabbage, roughly chopped and cored
  • 6
    medium sized potatoes, skinned and quartered
  • 1/2 - 1 lb
    boiled or baked ham, leftover or already cooked
  • 1/2 c
    bacon grease, solidified (or lard)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lg
    onion (optional)

How To Make bubble and squeek (colcannon)

  • 1
    Parboil your cabbage. Drain it well and chop it roughly and place it in a large bowl. Cook the potatoes until not quite tender; drain and cut them into pieces as well and place them in the bowl with the cabbage. Chop up the ham and add it to the potatoes and cabbage and set aside.
  • 2
    Chop an onion and saute it over medium heat using 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease or lard, Use a large skillet or dutch oven - preferably cast iron - that will be large enough to hold the entire mixture of cabbage, potatoes and ham.
  • 3
    When onion is softened, add chopped cabbage, potato and ham mixture and press it down with a spatula. Keep heat on medium and add dollops of the bacon grease or lard to the surface of the mixture in the pan. Continue to press down the mixture with the spatula at intervals and add more dollops of fat as it cooks, saving some for the other side. Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper.
  • 4
    When the mixture becomes browned on the bottom, turn it over with the spatula. You do not have to try to turn it as a whole piece, you simply want it to brown on both sides.
  • 5
    After turning, add the remaining fat in more dollops and press down with the spatula until the other side is browned as well. Serve with eggs for breakfast or use as a main dish.
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