Pork Cabbage Stew (Paleo, Whole30, keto)

This Pork Cabbage Stew is easy, hearty comfort food.

Juicy pork is cooked with tender cabbage and other vegetables in a flavorful broth. It can be made on the stove or in a slow cooker.

And it’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb, keto, Paleo and Whole30 friendly.

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Why this recipe works

Pork Cabbage Stew is one of those classic dishes that is pretty simple and straightforward but delivers so much flavor.

Lots of different cuisines and regions all over the world have their own ways of combining pork and cabbage into a flavorful stew or soup. There’s just something about the combination that works really well.

And luckily for those of us following a gluten-free or Paleo diet, most versions are already gluten-free and Paleo friendly!

Not to mention this cabbage pork stew also works well for low carb or keto diets or for a round of Whole30.

You don’t need any special ingredients or equipment. It does take a bit of time to let the stew simmer, but the hands-on prep time is relatively quick and easy.

While the ingredients seem basic, there are a few additions that help develop the flavor. First, adding a bit of tomato paste adds body and depth of flavor to the broth.

Second, caraway seeds add their own unique flavor that pairs well with both pork and cabbage.

And this cabbage and pork stew reheats well so it’s great to make ahead of time, add to your meal prep routine or even to freeze.

What you need

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder/pork butt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil, plus more as necessary
• fine sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion
• 2 large carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth (or homemade bone broth), divided
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/2 head of green cabbage
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or dill, optional

Equipment:

• a large soup pot or Dutch oven
• a cutting board
• a chef’s knife
• measuring spoons
• a vegetable peeler
• cooking tongs
• a wooden or heat-proof spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping)
• a slotted spoon
• a dinner plate
• a ladle

How to make Pork Cabbage Stew

Step 1

Trim off and discard any thick layers of fat from the pork, then cut into approx. 1″ chunks. Trim off any thick layers of internal fat as you go.

Step 2

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Step 3

Add half of the pork in a single layer and sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Let the pork cook without moving the pieces for at least 5 minutes, or until they develop a nice brown crust on one side.

Step 4

Using cooking tongs or a spatula, stir the pork around to brown the other side of the pieces, about another 5 minutes. Sprinkle this side with another 1/4 teaspoon of salt as well.

Step 5

Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork to a dinner plate. Repeat the process with the remaining pork, adding more oil to the pan if it starts to look dry.

Step 6

While the pork is cooking, peel and dice the onion. Peel and thickly slice the carrots into coins. Thickly slice the celery. Peel and mince the garlic cloves.

Step 7

After you remove the second batch of pork from the pot, there should be about 2 tablespoons of oil in the pain. If there’s less, add more oil. If there’s more, don’t worry about it.

Step 8

Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic, plus about 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and transparent, about 8-10 minutes.

Step 9

Add the tomato paste and saute, stirring occasionally, until the paste has darkened in color, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 10

Add 1-2 cups of the broth (just eyeball it, no need to measure) and use a spatula to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the broth, the caraway seeds and the pork, plus any accumulated juices on the dinner plate.

Step 11

Turn the heat up to high to bring the broth to a boil, the reduce the heat to medium low and let it simmer steadily for 45 minutes.

Step 12

Meanwhile, halve the cabbage through the core and cut out and discard the core. Thinly slice the cabbage, then cut the slices crosswise into approx. 1″ pieces.

Step 13

After the pork has been simmering for 45 minutes, stir in the cabbage. You should be able to get everything just barely submerged in the broth, but if not, add water or more broth until you can.

Step 14

Let the stew simmer for another 15 minutes. Stir in the herbs, if using. If you want it soup-ier, add more water or chicken broth.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Then ladle up!

Helpful Tips

• Look, I get it. Usually when a recipe says “brown the meat in batches” I either skip the recipe entirely or skip that step. Usually you can skip browning the meat and the recipe turns out just fine. But I highly recommend you take the time brown the meat for this recipe. There’s not a lot of ingredients in this stew so each one counts. And be patience with the browning – some recipes will tell you it only takes 2-3 minutes per side but I find it takes at least a good 5 minutes per side to develop a nice brown crust.
• Usually recipes will have you toss the meat in a bowl with salt and pepper to season it before cooking, but I find that to be unnecessary. Just season the meat directly in the pan and you’ll have one less thing to clean!
• Really try to use the broth to help scrape up everything on the bottom of the pan. Not only will it help add a lot of flavor to the stew, it’ll make cleaning the pot later so much easier.
• Always be sure to taste before serving. You might want more salt and you’ll almost definitely want more pepper. If you find that it’s too salty, add more water/broth to help dilute the saltiness.

FAQ

Other recipes you might like:

1. Beef Stew with Fall Spices and Root Vegetables (Paleo, Whole30)
2. Espresso Pulled Pork (Paleo, Whole30)
3. Apple Cider Pulled Pork (Paleo, Whole30)
4. Braised Red Cabbage (Paleo, Whole30)
5. Italian Wedding Soup (Paleo, Whole30)

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