- 3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 head cabbage, sliced into thin strips
- 1/2 cup water
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups fully cooked ham, cut into bite-size pieces
- Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, set heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Stir milk, mayonnaise, and butter into potatoes. Mash with a potato masher until smooth.
- Cook and stir bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until fat is rendered, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir onion, garlic, and cayenne pepper into bacon and drippings and cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir cabbage and water into onion mixture until cabbage is wilted, about 5 more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Fold cabbage mixture into mashed potatoes.
- Cook and stir ham pieces in the same skillet used for cabbage mixture until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir cooked ham into mashed potato and cabbage mixture until combined.