Broccoli Salad
This salad is pretty and great for potlucks. Leftovers keep well if there are any. Can be made the night before. I always make this in my HUGE Tupperware bowl for get-togethers. It makes a lot, so you may want to cut in half or even smaller.
This salad is pretty and great for potlucks. Leftovers keep well if there are any. Can be made the night before. I always make this in my HUGE Tupperware bowl for get-togethers. It makes a lot, so you may want to cut in half or even smaller.
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 8 heads fresh broccoli chopped
- 1 pound bacon
- 6 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 large red onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons seasoned black pepper (such as lawry's)
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt (such as lawry's)
- 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons bacon drippings
- 30 ounce homestyle mayonnaise
- Carbohydrate 10.2857970523713 g
- Cholesterol 30.9945627573483 mg
- Fat 24.3591266801049 g
- Fiber 3.31669258794365 g
- Protein 8.78019041847022 g
- Saturated Fat 7.88266649125721 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (176g)
- Sodium 444.384668305117 mg
- Sugar 6.96910446442761 g
- Trans Fat 12.0364163051352 g
- Calories 287 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crispy.
- Reserve few tablespoons of drippings.
- Crumble bacon and set aside.
- Cook onion in a non stick skillet just enough to take the strongness away from the onion, but DON'T cook long enough to change the color of the onion.
- Steam the broccoli until it brightens, but is still crunchy in texture.
- Allow to cool.
- Prepare the dressing in a small bowl.
- Whisk together all ingredients, except bacon crumbles, cheese, onion, and broccoli, until smooth.
- In large bowl, combine bacon, broccoli, onion, and cheese.
- Add dressing and stir well to coat all the broccoli.
- Cover and refrigerate until cool and ready to serve.
- At least an hour or two.
The Mid-Century Salad Bowl Revolution
Cold brassica salads gained immense popularity across American community cookbooks during the mid-twentieth century as refrigeration became ubiquitous. Cooks sought reliable ways to dress raw vegetables without wilting them entirely. This formula relies on a high fat content from mayonnaise and cheddar to coat dense florets evenly. Vinegar cuts through that richness while balancing the inherent bitterness of raw cruciferous vegetables.
Controlling Raw Onion Bite
Raw red onions contain sulfur compounds that can easily overwhelm milder ingredients. Heating the chopped allium briefly in a skillet removes the sharp sting without turning the flesh translucent. Watch for the aroma to shift from aggressively pungent to sweet before removing the pan from the heat. Allow the pieces to cool completely before mixing them with dairy to prevent premature curdling.
Assessing Steam Doneness
Steaming broccoli requires precise timing to maintain structural integrity. Expose the florets to boiling water vapor for roughly two to three minutes until the color shifts to a vibrant, saturated green. Test doneness by piercing a stalk with the tip of a paring knife; it should offer slight resistance rather than collapsing. Plunge the steamed broccoli into ice water immediately to halt internal cooking and preserve crunch.
