Layered sautéed cabbage
Braised Cabbage with Meat and Sausages
I came home again with two jars of pickled cabbage from my mom after she called to ask if I was ever going to pick them up, as they were taking up space in her pantry. Since I had homemade sausages and leftover pork from the holidays in the freezer, I made this braised cabbage in the oven, layered in a clay pot. It’s a hearty, classic dish that I make a few times during winter, especially when I have good pickled cabbage and homemade sausages.
Quick Info
Total time: approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Servings: 8-10
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: winter dish, main course, rustic
Ingredients
2 heads of pickled cabbage (large)
2-3 tablespoons oil
1-2 tablespoons homemade lard
2 red onions
1 kg pork shoulder
1 kg homemade sausages
A pinch of salt (be careful, the cabbage is already salty)
Ground pepper, to taste (I like it to be quite noticeable)
A few sprigs of dried thyme and crushed dried thyme
1 cup rice
1 cup red wine (slightly warmed)
1 cup water
Preparation method
1. If the pickled cabbage is too sour or too salty, soak the heads in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain them well before starting.
2. Cut the cabbages in half and then into thin strips with a knife.
3. Chop the onions finely. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions over medium heat until they soften.
4. Add the washed rice (rinsed several times in cold water) to the onions, along with the diced pork and sliced sausages. Mix well. Season with a little salt (very little, considering the cabbage), pepper, and crushed dried thyme.
5. Prepare the clay or ceramic pot (ideally, it should be enameled on the inside, if you have one). Place the first layer of chopped cabbage, sprinkle a little pepper, and then add a sprig of thyme.
6. Add half of the meat, sausage, onion, and rice mixture over this layer of cabbage.
7. Cover with another layer of cabbage, sprinkle with pepper, and add another sprig of thyme.
8. Add the remaining meat and sausages, then cover with the last layer of chopped cabbage. Sprinkle a little more pepper and place a sprig of thyme on top.
9. Add 1-2 tablespoons of lard on the surface.
10. Pour a cup of warm water and one of red wine (slightly warmed beforehand) around the edges of the pot, not directly over the cabbage.
11. Place the lid on and put the pot in the cold oven. Set the oven to 160°C and let it cook for 1 hour.
12. After 1 hour, increase the temperature to 170-175°C and let it cook for another hour and a half.
13. Remove from the oven and take out the thyme sprigs before serving.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s a filling dish, perfect for serving several people, especially when you want to use homemade meat and sausages as well as pickled cabbage that needs to be consumed. It doesn't require much supervision, and the flavor develops better if you leave it in the oven on low heat. It keeps well in the fridge for a few days.
Tips and variations
Tips
Use good pickled cabbage, not too sour or too salty. If needed, rinse it a bit more.
For each layer of cabbage, add a little freshly ground pepper—don’t skip this step, it adds flavor to the dish.
Always remove the thyme sprigs before serving.
For a richer taste, don’t replace the lard with oil in the top layer.
Substitutions
If you don’t have a clay or ceramic pot, you can use any oven-safe pot with a lid, but it’s recommended that it’s not too wide, so the cabbage stays juicy.
You can use only pork or only sausages, but the mix of both is the most balanced.
Red wine can be omitted if you don’t have any, but it changes the final taste. It’s better with it.
Rice can be replaced with bulgur, but the texture will be different.
Variations
If you want less meat, reduce the amount to 700 g of each.
If you want it to be more sour, don’t rinse the cabbage at all, just drain it.
You can add a bit of chopped hot pepper directly in the layers if you want it spicier, but traditionally it’s served separately.
Serving ideas
Serve hot, with hot peppers on the side. You can add a bit of sour cream at the end, but it’s not necessary.
It goes well with a slice of homemade bread.
It can be reheated in the oven or on the stovetop over low heat.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use sweet cabbage instead of pickled cabbage?
Not for this recipe; the taste and texture depend on the pickled cabbage. If you only have sweet cabbage, look for a separate recipe, possibly with more vinegar and salt added.
2. What can I do if the dish turns out too salty?
If you find it too salty after baking, you can serve it with bread or sour cream to help tone it down. Next time, rinse the cabbage more thoroughly beforehand.
3. Can it be made without red wine?
Yes, but the taste won’t be as rounded. If you don’t want to use wine, just add water or a little cabbage juice if it’s not too salty.
4. Can braised cabbage be frozen?
Yes, it can be frozen, but the texture of the rice and cabbage will be a bit different upon thawing, softer. It’s better fresh or kept in the fridge for a few days.
5. Can I cook directly in an enameled cast-iron pot if I don’t have a clay pot?
Yes, you can use an enameled cast-iron pot with a lid. Just make sure it’s not too thin, so the bottom doesn’t burn.
Nutritional values
Approximately, per serving (out of 8): about 600-700 kcal, of which 35-40 g protein, 35-40 g fat, 25-30 g carbohydrates. These are approximate values, depending on how much lard remains in the dish and the content of meat and sausages. The dish is hearty and filling, containing fiber from the cabbage and rice.
Storage and reheating
It keeps well in the fridge, in a covered container, for up to 4 days. Reheat directly in the pot, in the oven or over low heat on the stovetop, with a lid. If it dries out too much, add a little water when reheating. Freezing is possible, but the texture won’t be as firm. It’s best consumed within 2-3 days.
Ingredients: 2 pickled cabbages 2-3 tablespoons oil 1-2 tablespoons homemade lard 2 red onions 1 kg pork meat 1 kg homemade sausages a pinch of salt (not too much, as the cabbage is salty) pepper to taste (I add enough to feel it in the dish) a few sprigs of dried thyme + crushed thyme 1 cup rice 1 cup homemade red wine 1 cup water
