Cabbage Wedge-Meal-In-One

6 servings Prep: 15 m Cook: 1 h 30 m Total: 1 h 45 m Beginner
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Cooked cabbage has been wrongfully accused of smelling up kitchens everywhere. But don’t blame the cabbage, blame the COOK. The odor problem is a result of overcooking and in addition use of aluminum pans. The solution? A brief cooking time (just until fork tender) and using stainless steel pots and pans. Cabbage is king of the cruciferous vegetable family and often the king of the Cajun meal. This one-dish casserole combines cabbage wedges with ground beef, rice, and tomatoes for a complete meal.

Ingredients

6 servings
  • 1 small cabbage
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/4 cup uncooked rice
  • 2 cans canned tomatoes
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 2 tsp Tony Chachere or Cajun seasoning
  • Butter for greasing casserole

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Remove tough outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut into 6 or 8 wedges.
  3. Place cabbage wedges in a buttered 3 quart casserole dish. Arrange onions, ground beef and rice between wedges. Combine tomatoes, water and seasoning and pour over other ingredients in casserole.
  4. Cover and bake at 350°F for 1 and 1/2 hours until cabbage is fork tender and rice is cooked through.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why does my cabbage smell bad when cooking?

A: Overcooking causes the sulfur compounds in cabbage to break down and create unpleasant odors. Cook just until fork tender (about 1.5 hours in this casserole). Also avoid aluminum pans, which can react with cabbage and intensify the smell - use stainless steel or glass instead.

Q: Can I use pre-cooked rice?

A: No, the uncooked rice absorbs the flavorful juices as it cooks in the casserole. If using cooked rice, reduce the liquid and cut the baking time in half.

Tips and Techniques

Don’t skip buttering the casserole dish - it prevents sticking and adds richness. You can crumble the raw ground beef between the wedges rather than browning it first; it will cook through during the baking time and release flavorful juices into the rice.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • ground beef: ground pork, ground turkey, or a mix of beef and pork
  • canned tomatoes: 3-4 cups fresh chopped tomatoes
  • white rice: brown rice

Equipment Needed

  • 3 quart casserole dish with lid
  • Sharp knife for cutting cabbage

Historical Context

Cabbage has long been a workhorse vegetable in South Louisiana cooking, affordable and readily available year-round. Casseroles like this one became popular in the mid-20th century as convenient one-dish meals that could feed large Cajun families without much fuss.