Having Swamp Cabbage Tonight:

Well, we just cut down a cabbage palm this morning. The people that know me understand I don’t like to cut down a tree if I don’t have to. Most times, here on the place if we have to get rid of a tree, we simply dig it up and transplant it.

Now, there are times the trees are so large we can’t transplant them, but whenever we can, we will transplant them to a spot they’re not in our way. The ones we can’t move, we’ll cut them up and use them for firewood.

The reason for cutting the palm this morning was simply it was growing up among a pretty couple of oaks, and by the palm being there, it was restricting the oaks from growing off as they should. So, we cut it.

BUT…

Being we had to cut it anyway, we might as well get the heart of the palm and have us a big mess of swamp cabbage tonight. So that’s exactly what we’re going to do.

We’ll be supplying a couple videos today as well. The first will be showing what’s involved in getting the heart out of the palm, and the second showing how Deb cooks it. I’m sure most know how this is done, but the videos will show the ones who don’t what it is, and how we prepare it.

It’s actually pretty simple, but there is some work involved. My bunch this morning, Red, Dale and one-eared Bob, started moaning right off the bat, but once I suggested to them we could skip the swamp cabbage scenario, and simply get the 20 inch cut push mower with its bagger, and cut the grass today, they decided that , yes, Dub and Deb NEEDED some swamp cabbage!

Red is not working this week in our paving business, so he got to help too. “Lucky Red,” is all I have to say! For some unknown reason I feel at times he doesn’t consider his “ridin out” here to help us out isn’t considered “lucky” in his book! Imagine that!

Once we get our swamp cabbage cut, washed and “pot ready,” we cut up a few pods of okra, three small or two large onions, a couple quart jars of canned tomatoes, and a pack of link sausage, we’re ready to fire off the cookstove!

Deb uses a large pot, if you notice in the video she still has the tag on the pot, and we’ve cooked in this pot I don’t know how many times, and the dern tag is still hanging right there on the side of the pot.

I call it our “Minnie Pearl pot.” For those too young to remember, Minnie Pearl always wore a hat with the price tag hanging on it, thus, our Minnie Pearl pot! LOL!

What Deb does is to get our swamp cabbage, okra, and the canned tomatoes going with just a little water added. Your canned tomatoes will add a little water too. She starts this pot off cooking, and while this is taking place she cuts her sausage up in slices or discs, and browns it well.

Once this has cooked a little, she then adds her sliced onions and cooks them with the sausage until the onions have tendered up. When this takes place she adds the sausage and onions to the tomatoes, okra, and swamp cabbage.

At this point she adds any more water if needed, you just want to cover the ingredients good, and brings this to a boil. Once it’s reached a hard boil, she turns the burner down some and simmers it pretty hard for 30 minutes or so. Some people judge it at 20 minutes, but I personally like mine pretty tender. It’s a, to each his own thing in regards to how you like it.

You can then eat it plain in a bowl, but I like mine served over rice. Add a piece of corn bread throwed up there beside it, and there you go…a full meal. We love it.

Another way I like it, but Deb doesn’t really care for, is I make a swamp cabbage slaw, and I show a small bowl of this in the video. Take your swamp cabbage, add a little mayonnaise, though I prefer miracle-whip, cut up a small piece of onion, and salt and pepper to taste.

Again though, you can add whatever you like, but I always throw in a few olives, and serve it with a couple pieces of pickled okra on the side. I also shake a little paprika on it as well. This really makes a nice little lunch plate, if that’s what you’re into.

I’ve never tried it this way, but I honestly believe, and I will be giving this a try, is simply to add some swamp cabbage to a regular garden salad. I just can’t see this not being good, and really I can’t believe I’ve never thought to try it this way.

Well guys, that about takes care of how we get swamp cabbage, and what we do in regards to cooking it up. I must say once again that it is very good, and I’m looking forward to supper tonight. I’ve eaten the bowl of slaw already, and basically I’m just hangin out waitin on ole Deb to make up a pot of rice, and…digging in!

Remember too, if you don’t have access to swamp cabbage, you can buy heart of palm in all grocery stores. It’s normally on the shelf right next to the…coon, or possum! LOL!

Before signing off today, we’ll leave you with a little joke. Once more this is supplied by a good friend of ours, Roger, in Virginia. Thanks again Roger.

Welfare Check:

A guy walked into the local welfare office to pick up his check. He marched straight up to the counter and said, “Hi. You know, I just HATE drawing welfare checks. I’d really rather have a job.”

The social worker behind the counter said, “Your timing is excellent! We just got a job opening from a very wealthy old man who wants a chauffeur and bodyguard for his beautiful daughter. You’ll have to drive her around in his 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 and he will supply all of your clothes. Because of the long hours, your meals will be provided. You’ll also be expected to escort the daughter on her overseas holiday trips. This is rather awkward to say, but you will also have to, as part of your job assignment, satisfy her sexual urges as the daughter is in her mid-20′s and has a rather strong sex drive.”

The guy, just plain wide-eyed by now said, “You’re kiddin me, right?”

The social worker said, “Yeah, well…You started it.”

Being as hunting season has started, I’d like to share one more video with you guys today. It is about hunting, and is called… “Deer Rap,” by jdcountryboy, and Dot K-Dog Productions. Ya’ll have fun with it…we sure did!

You guys have a great day, and God Bless every one of you! As always, Deb says to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart! She sure seems to!

Dub and Deb

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5 Responses to Having Swamp Cabbage Tonight:

  1. Sandra says:

    Okay folks, who has been stalking my family in the woods. I see Nana and Gramps,
    oldest grandson, notice grandaughter ain’t wearing her pink camo. This is an annual ritual for my bunch. Go out and do musical promo and deer come from far and wide to watch, then boom, boom. You go guys, bring it on home cause the freezer is empty this time of the year. Loved this, sending it to deer camp. Yeah they take their technology with them too. This was a keeper. Thanks.

  2. Sandy says:

    I’m sure I will never have swamp cabbage unless I visit you but I love the fact that you don’t waste anything. Kuddo’s

    • admin says:

      Sandy, once you set eyes on me…it will be obvious to you why we, (I), don’t waste anything!! LOL!! I try to eat it (anything really) before somebody else does!!

  3. Faye says:

    Hello,
    On your video of swamp cabbage you mentioned the smoked sausage you used in it called Lee & Davis natural Hickory smoked Pork sausage. Would you happen to know if they ship this sausage from Georgia as I would love to get some of it? haven’t had any good smoked sausage in a long time.
    Thanks, Faye

    • admin says:

      Smoked sausage?? I didn’t mention anything bout no good smoked sausage.

      Did I??

      Yes ma’am they do ship it I’m sure. We’ve got a buddy that brings it down to us or you can bet I’d be havin it shipped down here for sure too! I’ll check into that for you and try to get ya hooked up.

      I think a long time back you asked me about this sausage one time before, didn’t you? I’m pretty sure a lady named Faye had inquired about it, but I don’t think I ever sent her the info? Ya gotta understand if this were true, back then this sausage was still a novelty too us, shoot, we’d probably only been eatin on it 5-6 years at that point, so we were still enjoyin the heck outta it. Guess what I’m tryin to say is this…

      WE DIDN”T WANT NOBODY ELSE GETTIN ANY of it!

      At this point though, this good Georgia smoked sausage thing is finally startin to git old.

      Remember Forest Gump’s buddy gave Forest the idea of them becomin shrimp boat partners, only to be killed a short while later? Remember all the shrimp dishes he could name off. He could literally go on and on…didh after dish.

      Well…

      That’s where we’re at with sausage.

      Let’s see…there’s sausage and gravy, and sausage gravy. There’s fried sausage, grilled sausage, boiled sausage, sausage casserole, sausage and taters, grits eggs and sausage, sausage and egg sandwich, pickled sausage, sausage meatloaf, etc., etc., etc.

      See what I mean?

      Yes ma’am, I do believe they’ll ship to you, and I PROMISE, I’ll be very, very happy to aid you in gettin…

      SOME GOOD GEORGIA SMOKED SAUSAGE!

      LOL!!

      We’ll be in touch Faye!

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