Zeke requested red meat for dinner, so when I saw these baby back ribs at the butcher, I really wanted to buy them and slowly barbecue them or smoke them. But I didn’t really have the tools for that, so out came my trusty dutch oven, and a new dish was born! Cabbage and ribs is something I have never made before, but I searched a few recipes online and decided to go with the flavor combination and just add some tomato paste, since tomato sauce and cabbage is a good combination. Besides being very hard to eat, this dish was definitely successful. If you like hearty meals and eating like a caveman or woman, give this one a try!I cut the cabbage pretty thick in this dish, mostly because I knew it would wilt like crazy. But feel free to shred it much smaller if you want. And since I only used half the head, cole slaw would be a nice side dish to this. Or you can make Second Avenue Deli’s health salad…but that recipe is for another day.
If you only have chuck or short ribs on hand, or don’t feel like eating a slab of ribs, go for it. The flavor will still be delicious, and it will definitely be easier to eat.
Beef Ribs and Cabbage:
Serves 2
- 1 package baby back ribs (about 5 ribs)
- A few glugs olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to sprinkle
- About 1/4 cup flour
- 2 small onions, cut into thick slices
- 1/2 head cabbage, thickly shredded
- 1 cup vegetable broth or chicken stock
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 can tomato paste
Directions:
1.Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a dutch oven, until shimmering.
2. Sprinkle ribs liberally with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour.
3. Brown all sides for about 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside on plate.
4. Add onions to the pot and saute for 10 minutes, until soft and beginning to brown.
5. Add the cabbage and mix, until starting to wilt.
6. Add broth, juice, tomato paste and rosemary. Mix it all together.
7. Return the ribs to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours, until meat is falling off the bone, the cabbage is soft, and the sauce is deep and rich.
8. Serve with many napkins.
So I know I said it only serves two. But that’s just the meat. There will be a lot of leftover sauce and a bunch of cabbage, too. It’s great over egg noodles. Or just braise some more meat in there are serve four people.
