Pork & Cabbage Stew

I consider cabbage a winter vegetable as it’s in excess during the wintery months and I always remember my mother using it for cooking or salads in the winter. Here, I’m sharing with you a comfort dish, perfect for cold days, my pork and cabbage stew cooked in a tomato sauce. This dish is what you need to warm up your belly and it’s packed with vitamins and protein from all the meat and vegetables. So let’s get started!

Why you should try my recipe

• A warm and hearty dish, great for winter and cold weather.
• Full of goodness, vitamins and protein from the meat and vegetables.
• Serves a big family.
• Stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Nice idea for babies and little children as the meat gets really soft and has lots of vegetables.

Ingredients & How-to

The main ingredients for the cabbage and pork stew are potatoes, carrot, leeks, garlic, parsley, tomato purée and of course, pork and cabbage. For the seasoning, I’m just using some salt and ground pepper, but you could also add some chili flakes if you like an extra kick, especially on a cold day. You could get precut pork or get a big piece and cut it yourself into cubes around 4cm / 1.5”, whatever you prefer.

01. I start by chopping and cutting all the vegetables. I peel the onion and cut it into cubes, cut the leeks in half lengthwise and then into slices. I cut the potatoes and the carrot into cubes and chop the garlic finely. As for the cabbage, I cut it into quarters and remove the hard root. Then I just cut it into thick slices.

02. As with most stews, I first add the oil to a big pot and sauté the onion for a few minutes. That helps to get all the sweetness of the onion out. Then, I add the pork cubes and turn them around for 3-4 minutes to get a nice brown color on all sides.

03. Now, I add the chopped garlic, leeks and the tomato puree (passata). I give it a good stir and add about a cup and a half of water to the pot. I leave the pork to cook in low heat for about 30 minutes before adding the rest of the vegetables in. This way the meat is going to be very tender and soft.

04. Now, it’s time to add the rest of the vegetables. I first add the potatoes, carrot and parsley and give it a stir. For the seasoning, I’m just adding a little bit of salt and ground pepper. You could also add some chili flakes for an extra kick, as it really goes well with the tomato and cabbage.

05. I like to add the cabbage slices at the very end, as they have quite a volume and my other ingredients are already mixed nicely and covered with the sauce. At this point, I might need to add half or one cup of water depending on how much is left in the pot. Then, I cover the pot with the lid and leave it to cook for 40-45 minutes. The cabbage will lose most of its volume with the heat, so after around 10 minutes in the pot it’s easier to give it a stir.

Serving suggestions

We usually have this cabbage and pork stew as a main for lunch or dinner with some nice crispy bread on the side to dip in that delicious tomato sauce. Serve it warm as it’s a hearty dish perfect for cold weather.

Storage

You can store any leftovers of the cabbage and pork stew in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Just warm it up in the microwave or a small pot for a couple of minutes and serve. I don’t recommend freezing it unless you don’t add any potatoes to the stew.

FAQ

• What type of pork can I use for a stew? The best cuts for a pork stew are pork leg or shoulder. Pork leg is less fatty whereas pork shoulder has more fat that you can of course trim to your liking.

• What type of tomatoes can I use for the cabbage stew? You could use a couple of ripe tomatoes that you blend in a food processor or tomato puree or tomato passata. If you decide to use fresh tomatoes, then you don’t need to add a lot of water to the stew when cooking, as the fresh tomatoes are more watery.

• Is the cabbage and pork stew suitable for a baby? Yes, it is suitable for babies from 6 months old if you don’t add any salt whilst it is being cooked. The stew has lots of protein and vitamins from the meat and the vegetables, which makes it ideal for young children.