Bacon Cauliflower Salad

June 2025. Memphis summer, 66 years old, and the heat wraps around Orange Mound like a wet blanket that nobody asked for but everybody wears because that is the deal you make when you live in the South. The smoker calls louder in summer — something about the heat amplifying the smoke, the way humidity amplifies everything in Memphis — and I answer, because answering is what pitmasters do.

Marcus and Angela in Whitehaven, building their family, their house full of the sounds I remember from our own early years — a baby's laugh, a spouse's voice, the daily music of people learning to live together. Naomi growing with the speed of childhood, each visit revealing a new word, a new capability, a new expression that catches my breath because it echoes someone I lost.

I made smoked chicken this week — a simple cook that belies its depth. Rubbed with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika, smoked at 275 over hickory for three hours. The skin was mahogany, the meat juicy, and the first bite carried the kind of flavor that makes you close your eyes, which is the highest compliment food can earn: the involuntary closing of the eyes, the body's admission that what it's tasting is too good to see.

Another week in the book. Another seven days of tending fires — the one in the smoker, the one in the marriage, the one in the family, the one in the church. Each fire needs something different: wood, attention, food, faith. But the tending is the same for all of them: show up, add what's needed, wait patiently, trust the process. Low and slow. Always. Low and slow.

The smoked chicken was the centerpiece this week, but no pitmaster sends a plate to the table bare — you need something alongside it that earns its place. I’ve been making this Bacon Cauliflower Salad for years when I want a cool, creamy side that still carries some smoke and salt in every bite, the kind of dish that holds up next to a hickory cook without getting lost. It’s what I’d bring to Marcus and Angela’s table without a second thought, because a dish like this travels well, feeds a crowd quietly, and lets the main event shine — which is exactly what a good side dish, like a good family member, is supposed to do.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
8 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chives or green onions, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Blanch the cauliflower. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and cook for 2–3 minutes, until just tender but still with a firm bite. Drain immediately and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Cook the bacon. In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon strips until crisp, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain and cool, then crumble into pieces. Reserve 2 tablespoons of crumbles for topping.
Make the dressing. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth and fully combined.
Combine the salad. Add the dried cauliflower florets, most of the bacon crumbles, cheddar cheese, and red onion to the bowl with the dressing. Fold gently until everything is evenly coated.
Chill before serving. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour — 2 hours is better. The rest time lets the dressing soak into the cauliflower and the flavors settle into each other. Low and slow applies in the refrigerator too.
Finish and serve. Before serving, give the salad a gentle stir. Top with the reserved bacon crumbles and the chopped chives or green onions. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve cold alongside smoked meats or your favorite summer main.

Nutrition (per serving)

Bacon Cauliflower Salad — The Side Dish That Shows Up Like Family