Healthy Barbecue Salads & Sides — The Unsung Heroes of Bobby’s Super Bowl Spread

Super Bowl week, take two. Eagles versus Patriots. I'm rooting for the Eagles because I'm rooting against the Patriots, which is my permanent position in all Super Bowl matters. Bobby and Hector's monthly cookout aligned with Super Bowl Sunday, so we went big. The theme: Bobby's brisket versus Hector's barbacoa. His barbacoa — beef cheeks braised in dried chiles and wrapped in banana leaf — is ungodly good. Rich, unctuous, falling-apart tender. He makes it in his grandmother's clay pot and the whole yard smells like New Mexico. My brisket was the standard: fish sauce marinade, fourteen hours, post oak. But I also debuted the Vietnamese BBQ sauce I developed last spring — the tamarind-fish sauce glaze. I offered it as a side condiment and watched people's faces when they tried it. Ray dipped his brisket in it and said, "Bobby, what the hell is this?" I said, "Vietnamese BBQ sauce." He said, "This is the best condiment I've ever tasted." Hector tried it and just looked at me and shook his head slowly, which is Hector's way of saying I've done something he can't beat. The Eagles won. The yard exploded. Nobody in my yard had any connection to Philadelphia but everyone was anti-Patriots and that's enough. Tyler watched the game with his friends — they'd come over for the food and stayed for the football. Five teenage boys sitting on lawn chairs, eating brisket, arguing about quarterback ratings. Tyler looked comfortable. Not performing, not posturing — just comfortable in his own skin in a way that I wasn't at sixteen. I was angry at sixteen. I was lost. Tyler is neither. He knows who he is: a kid who likes cars and his dad's cooking and his friends and his family, and that's enough for him. I hope it stays enough. Emma watched halftime and then went inside to read. Lily lasted until the third quarter and fell asleep in Ma's lap. Ma watched the entire game and asked exactly one question: "Why do they keep stopping?" Same question Lily asked two years ago. I gave the same answer: commercials. Ma said, "Americans." One word, full of judgment. She's right. Monday morning: leftover barbacoa tacos for breakfast. Hector's grandmother's recipe, in my kitchen, on a Monday. The ultimate compliment between cooks is eating each other's leftovers.

When you’re running two heavy proteins — fourteen-hour brisket and braised beef cheeks in chile — the sides aren’t an afterthought, they’re what keep the table breathing. I’ve learned that the hard way over years of cookouts with Hector: if every dish is rich, nothing registers as rich anymore. A bright, fresh, healthy side salad is what makes the brisket taste like brisket. These are the barbecue salads and sides I keep coming back to when the mains are doing the heavy lifting — clean, crisp, and just enough to cut through all that smoke and fat.

Healthy Barbecue Salads & Sides

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 20 min + 30 min chill | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 4 cups green cabbage, thinly shredded
• 2 cups purple cabbage, thinly shredded
• 2 large carrots, julienned or coarsely grated
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears, or thawed frozen)
• 1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey or agave
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lime

Instructions

1. Prep the vegetables. Shred both cabbages as thinly as possible using a mandoline or sharp knife. Julienne or grate the carrots. Thinly slice the red onion and, if it tastes sharp, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes and drain before using.
2. Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, celery seed, garlic powder, and lime juice. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust — it should be tangy and bright.
3. Combine. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the green cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots, corn, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño if using.
4. Dress and toss. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss thoroughly until every strand is coated. Use tongs or clean hands to work the dressing in evenly.
5. Chill before serving. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. The slaw softens slightly and the flavors meld. It holds well for up to 4 hours at a cookout without going soggy.
6. Serve. Taste once more before serving and adjust salt, lime, or honey as needed. Serve cold alongside brisket, barbacoa, grilled chicken, or anything coming off the smoker.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 95 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 160mg