Braised Pork Beer Cabbage
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Pork chops with bones and a smoked sausage meet green cabbage simmered slowly in a pale ale. Apples add a subtle sweetness, garlic punches flavor up, plus a hint of spice from cloves stuck in the sausage. Butter browns, meat sears, then everything melds for nearly two hours until tender. The cooking liquid reduces to a rich sauce. Bones removed, meat shredded, tossed back in. Salt and pepper adjust the taste. Moutarde on the side optional.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
4 to 6 servings
#hearty meals
#comfort food
#slow cooking
#pork recipes
Pork meets cabbage, slow braised. Bites of tart apple against savory meat. Garlic and shallots soften into sweet depths. Pale ale simmers everything tender. No rush here. Bones hold flavor, sliced out later. Sausage adds smoky richness pierced with whole allspice. Butter bras one layer then another. Liquid bubbles, then shrinks. You can smell cloves and beer in the air. Meat falls apart. Toss back in. A rustic hearty plate. Not fancy but filling, glowing with layered warmth. Try grainy musdtard on side, fierce contrast. Cold night perfect for this. Plates scrape clean more than once. Little effort, long reward.
Ingredients
- 300 grams Polish smoked sausage kielbasa
- 3 whole allspice berries
- 3 pork chops with bones
- 70 ml unsalted butter
- 3.5 liters finely shredded savoy cabbage
- 1 large shallot, finely sliced
- 1 bottle 355 ml of pale ale
- 2 tart Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sectioned
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
About the ingredients
Choose kielbasa with a robust smoky profile. Swapping allspice berries for cloves turned forward here, giving spice a milder whisper rather than punch. Savoy cabbage stays tender but firm, less watery than green. Granny Smith apples bring bright acid and hold their shape. Shallots instead of onions for subtlety, melting into the mix. Butter used generously, enough for browning and softening layers. Pale ale with balanced malt bitterness keeps flavor from being heavy or sweet. Garlic fresh and chopped fine goes evenly throughout. Salt and pepper to taste after the mix reduces so you don’t over-season early. A word on cloves: replaced original to shift aroma and lessen bite while keeping visual charm. Apples swapped out too—Cortland out, Granny Smith in—for more tartness and sharper contrast to the rich pork.
Method
- Pierce the kielbasa sausage multiple times using the allspice berries. Set aside.
- Heat half the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sear pork chops on both sides until golden brown, seasoning each side with salt and pepper as they cook. Remove chops and place on a plate.
- Add remaining butter to the pot. Sweat the cabbage and shallots, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
- Nestle the pork chops and spiced sausage atop the softened cabbage.
- Scatter the apple pieces and minced garlic evenly over the meat and veggies.
- Pour in the bottle of pale ale, driving a gentle boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer gently for about 1 hour 35 minutes until pork is tender and falling apart.
- Remove the lid and cook uncovered for an additional 15 minutes to reduce cooking liquid by around half, thickening the sauce.
- Fish out the allspice berries and slice the kielbasa into rounds.
- Debone the pork chops and trim any excess fat. Break pork meat into chunks.
- Return all meat to the cabbage, stirring to combine well.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve with coarse mustard if you want a sharp kick.
Cooking tips
Pierce spicy sausage with allspice to infuse mildly during cooking but pull out before serving—no surprises in bites. Brown chops well, skin or no skin, on medium-high to seal flavor and color. Use all butter, no oil, for mellow richness. Start cabbage and shallots slowly to avoid burning; add salt early to draw moisture and soften evenly. Add apples and garlic last before the liquid to keep fresh notes. Cover tight during simmer to trap steam, keep meat super tender. Adjust times slightly depending on chop thickness. Near done, remove lid for evaporation; this thickens braising juices into a sauce. Final step: remove cloves/allspice, debone chops, shred pork for easy eating and mixing. Stir in sliced sausage last to evenly spread smoky flavor throughout dish. Taste multiple times, adjust salt pepper near the end; freezing or reheating may amplify seasoning. Serve warm, with strong mustard if desired. Keeps well refrigerated, flavors deepen overnight.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Pierce kielbasa. Allspice infuses flavor during cooking. Pull out berries before serving. No surprises. Perfect harmony in each bite. Cook's secret.
- 💡 Sear pork chops until browned. Color enhances flavor. Use medium-high heat. Remove chops. Save on plate. Moist, juicy meat is key. Don’t skip this step.
- 💡 Start with cabbage and shallots softening. Heat slowly. Stir regularly. Salt early helps moisture come out. Even cooking, great texture combined.
- 💡 Add garlic and apples only before pouring in ale. Maintain fresh taste. Cooking changes flavors. Watch simmer time; it makes or breaks tenderness. No rushing.
- 💡 Thicken sauce at end. Remove lid last 15 minutes. Concentrate flavors. Avoid watery mix. Taste seasonings just before finishing. This is crucial for great result.
Common questions
How do I fix tough pork?
First, check simmer time. If not enough, meat won't fall apart. Next, cook low and slow. Change thickness of chops maybe.
Can I use different sausage?
Yes, any smoked sausage gives flavor. But taste varies. Choose robust options for best results. Kielbasa adds depth.
How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate promptly. Portion into containers. Lasts a few days. Freezing works too. Reheat gently; don’t overcook.
What if I want more spice?
Add red pepper flakes or use chorizo sausage. Change allspice to cloves. Spice impacts overall taste, experiment as desired.
