RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
January Pick: Crockpot Meals

Beef and Garlic Cabbage

Beef chuck slow-cooked with a whole head of garlic in a paprika and tomato broth, then finished with tender cabbage wedges and a hit of fresh garlic.

Why you'll love Beef and Garlic Cabbage

This is a deep winter braise from the cabbage-and-beef cooking of Central and Eastern Europe, and it uses garlic two ways. A whole head of peeled cloves cooks with the beef for hours until the cloves turn soft, sweet, and spreadable, and they get mashed into the broth at the end to thicken it. Then a couple of raw cloves grated in at the finish bring back garlic's sharp, bright bite.

The cabbage goes in late, and that is what keeps it good. Beef chuck needs a long, slow cook for its connective tissue to melt into gelatin and the meat to turn fork-tender, but cabbage cooked that long goes gray and limp. So the wedges go in for the last hour and a half, nestled into the hot broth, where they turn silky and sweet and soak up the beefy, paprika-red liquid while still holding their shape.

It is the meal to set going on a cold morning and come home to. Spoon plenty of the broth over each plate.

Quick overview: This Beef and Garlic Cabbage takes 20 min of hands-on time and about 9 hr 20 min in all and makes 6 servings, each 1 cabbage wedge with about 1 cup beef and broth. You'll need a slow cooker.

Jump to recipe

Braised beef and cabbage wedges in paprika garlic broth
Prep 20 minCook 9 hrTotal 9 hr 20 minServes 6Serving 1 cabbage wedge with about 1 cup beef and brothYou'll need Slow cooker

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lb boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 head garlic (about 12 cloves), peeled
  • 1 1/2 cups beef bone broth Label: beef bones, water, vegetables, herbs, and salt, with no sugar, natural flavors, or oil
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste Label: tomatoes, and salt if any
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 lb), cut into 6 wedges through the core
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated, to finish
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. Season the beef: Pat the beef dry and toss it with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and the pepper. Salting the meat directly seasons it all the way through as it cooks.
  2. Build the slow cooker: Spread the onion, carrots, and peeled garlic cloves in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker and set the beef on top. The vegetables lift the meat and flavor the broth from below.
  3. Add the broth: Whisk the broth, tomato paste, paprika, and vinegar until smooth and pour it over the beef. Tuck in the thyme and bay leaves.
  4. Slow-cook the beef: Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and pulls apart easily. Chuck passes its safe 145°F (63°C) early on, and the long cook carries it well past that, to the point where its connective tissue melts and the meat turns tender.
  5. Add the cabbage: Nestle the cabbage wedges into the broth around the beef, cut sides down, and sprinkle them with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cover, turn the slow cooker to high, and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until a knife slides easily through the core of each wedge.
  6. Mash the garlic: Lift the cabbage and beef onto a deep platter. Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves. Press the soft garlic cloves against the side of the slow cooker with a spoon and stir them into the broth with the butter and the grated raw garlic. The cooked garlic thickens the broth and the raw garlic sharpens it.
  7. Serve: Taste the broth for salt, spoon it generously over the beef and cabbage, and scatter the parsley on top.

Storage and leftovers

Refrigerate the beef, cabbage, and broth together in a sealed container for up to 4 days. The flavor deepens overnight.

Freeze the beef in its broth for up to 3 months; the cabbage softens further when frozen, so freeze it only if you like it very tender. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently in a covered pan until steaming.

Variations

  • With caraway: Add 1 teaspoon caraway seeds with the paprika, the classic seasoning for beef and cabbage in Central Europe.
  • Spicy: Add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or a pinch of red pepper flakes with the paprika.
  • Red cabbage: Use red cabbage wedges for a deeper color and a slightly sweeter flavor.
  • With a dollop of sour cream: Top each plate with a spoonful of full-fat sour cream with a label of cream and cultures.

Notes and tips

  • Keep the core on: Cutting the wedges through the core holds the leaves together as they soften. Trim off only the tough bottom.
  • Brown the beef for extra depth: If you have 10 minutes in the morning, sear the beef in batches in a hot pan before it goes in the slow cooker. Browning adds a deeper, roasted flavor.
  • Choose chuck: Chuck has the marbling and connective tissue that melt over a long cook, which is what keeps it moist and tender.
  • Mind the fill line: Keep the slow cooker between half and two-thirds full so everything cooks evenly. With a smaller slow cooker, cut the cabbage into thinner wedges.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Beef chuck brings protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, and the long, slow cook turns its connective tissue into tender, gelatin-rich broth.
  • Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable with fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K, and a whole head fills every plate.
  • Slow-cooked garlic turns mellow and sweet, while raw garlic keeps its sharp flavor and its allicin, the compound that forms when garlic is crushed.
  • Butter and the marbling in the chuck are the real fat, and they carry the paprika's color and flavor into the broth.
  • As you eat, notice the rich broth and the soft, sweet cabbage, and check in through the evening: a bowl this hearty should hold you comfortably for 4 hours or more, with no pull toward dessert.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Beef and Garlic Cabbage? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Brisket or boneless short ribs work well. Choose a cut with marbling and connective tissue, since those turn tender over a long cook.

Can I cook it on high the whole time?

Yes. Cook the beef on high for 4 to 5 hours, then add the cabbage for the last hour.

Will the cabbage fall apart?

Wedges cut through the core hold together. Add them for only the last 1 to 1 1/2 hours and they come out silky and intact.

What should I look for in beef bone broth?

A label of beef bones, water, vegetables, herbs, and salt, with no sugar, natural flavors, or oil.

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Tags: January Pick, Crockpot Meals, Eastern European-Inspired