Quick Beef and Cabbage Skillet Recipe - Hearty Winter Fare

Bobbie Laughman’s Quick Beef and Cabbage Skillet Recipe

Winter was almost ignoring us here in south-central Pennsylvania: not too frigid and hardly any snow, and heck, I even wore shorts last week. Well, indoors, at least. Then that stupid groundhog saw his shadow on February 2, signaling six more weeks of winter. And then, someone must have passed the message along to Winter because it started paying attention again. Now everything’s completely white, and it got cold. I hate groundhogs and cold weather and snow, but hey, at least the food’s good. Quick Beef and Cabbage Skillet is hearty and filling, perfect for a cold winter’s day, but still budget-friendly. Oh, and delicious.

*Edit 2/13/2015: New photo, ground pork for the ground beef in the original quick beef and cabbage skillet recipe. You can also use ground turkey. If you opt for either ground pork or turkey, add a teaspoon of Worcestershire to up the umami flavor that ground beef provides -Heather* This is a family favorite recipe that we usually make a couple of times a month.

The first time I cooked this combination of ingredients, I was selfish: I love cooked cabbage, and I thought I was kind of alone. At least, I knew my husband hated cabbage rolls, and although this has no rice or tomato and is almost completely unlike cabbage rolls in any way, aside from the cabbage and meat, I still felt as if I was throwing caution to the wind.

I was amazed. My husband kept saying how much he liked it, so he could be sure I’d make it again. Talk about a win-win. And cheap cheap, too. Cabbage was recently as low as 49 cents per pound at my favorite store, and even when it’s not “on sale,” it’s still one of the best deals in the produce department. Learn to love cabbage, and your budget will love you.

Yield: 4 Servings

Bobbie Laughman's Quick Beef and Cabbage Skillet

Quick and hearty, this filling budget-friendly dish makes excellent use of winter vegetables

Prep Time5 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion
1 approximately 2-pound head of green cabbage
2 large carrots
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves

Instructions

Choose a large, heavy skillet or pot with a lid with a capacity of at least 6 quarts. I used my 8-quart stock pot, which gave me plenty of stirring about room. Set it over medium heat, and add the ground beef.
Peel and coarsely chop the onion, and add it to the meat, stirring it up a bit with a sturdy spoon. Stir the meat and onions occasionally while you prepare the cabbage and carrots.
Using a large chef's knife, cut the head of the cabbage in half from the top, through the core, then cut each half again so you have 4 pieces approximately equal in size.
Carefully slice away the core and discard. (If you don't get all of it, don't worry. It's perfectly safe to eat - it's just a bit tough sometimes.) Roughly chop the cabbage - neatness doesn't count. Cleanliness does, so keep it off the floor. I usually cut the cabbage into approximately one-inch chunks, which works pretty well.
If you have a box grater or other tool for shredding foods, use that for the carrots. Otherwise, use the chef's knife and finely chop them. Sometimes, I leave them out if I'm in a huge hurry or don't have carrots.
Once the meat is browned, stir in the salt, pepper, and bay leaves (these are NOT optional - their flavor is essential to the results), then add the carrots and cabbage. Stir to mix well.
Cover and turn the heat to low.
Cook for about 20 minutes, occasionally stirring until cabbage and carrots are tender. (You shouldn't need to add any liquid - the juices that cook out of the meat and vegetables should be sufficient, but if it seems dry, add up to 1/4 cup of water. )
Remove bay leaves and discard.
Serve

Notes

Serve Quick Beef and Cabbage Skillet with mashed potatoes or some crusty rolls and butter for a simple, comforting meal.

What do you need to make Bobbie Laughman’s Quick Beef and Cabbage Skillet Recipe?

ground beef
onion
green cabbage
carrots
salt
pepper
bay leaves
heavy skillet
8-quart stock pot
sturdy spoon
large chef’s knife

Need more ideas for what to do with cabbage? Try these recipes:

Cabbage Recipes

More ideas of what to do with cabbage

Recipe For Coleslaw Done Right

Smoked Sausage and Cabbage Skillet - A Basic Cooking Lesson

Vegetable Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Slaw with Lime, Honey, and Cilantro

Shredded Pork Burrito Bowls

Leek and Cabbage Soup

Thai Inspired Beef and Cabbage Skillet

Bobbie Laughman is an elder caregiver, writer and Generally Shy Person, Except On The Internet. She lives and breathes and tries to keep warm and sane inGettysburg, PA. If you have a mind to, contact her at Bobbie@home-ec101.com.

Old images are kept only for posterity and humor.