Kielbasa and cabbage are natural partners, and one of our favorite pairings in casseroles, soups, and other dishes. This recipe adds apples for sweetness and crunch, and brown ale to add a touch of bitterness to the flavor profile. And it's on the table in half an hour!
Kielbasa (aka Polish Sausage, aka Smoked Sausage) cooked with cabbage is a common dish in central Europe. It's usually made in a skillet, but can also be made as a soup or stew. This version includes some interesting ingredients: apples for some crunch and sweetness, and brown ale for a hint of bitterness. (See the Substitutions section for alternatives to the ale.)
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Ingredients
Here's the group photo: cabbage, apples, beer (ale, porter, or stout), onions, garlic, kielbasa, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, maple syrup, and brown mustard. You'll also need olive oil and butter.
- cabbage
- apple (sweet variety like Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Gala)
- brown ale (or porter or stout... use Guinness for the ultimate stout!)
- onion
- garlic
- kielbasa (or other smoked "ring" sausage)
- salt, black pepper, white pepper, caraway seeds
- maple syrup
- brown mustard
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Ready... set... cook!
Start by heating up the oil and butter and sautéing the onions until they turn translucent.
Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the cabbage to the pan and cook, stirring frequently.
Add the salt, pepper, and caraway seed and keep stirring.
Keep stirring until the volume is reduced by half.
Add the kielbasa, brown ale, mustard, and maple syrup. Keep on mixing until the cabbage is cooked to the degree you like. Some folks like it with a bit of crunch, some want it really tender.
Add the apples and stir them in for a couple of minutes. You'll want them to have a bit of crunch!
Here it is, ready to serve.
How good does that look?
But it looks... and tastes better... with some sour cream!
Substitutions
If you know how to make the recipe fit a certain diet, let the reader know here. Don't fake it - only provide guidance on topics you have actual experience with.
- Brown Ale, stronger - if you want a deeper flavor, you can use porter or stout
- Brown Ale, none - replace with beef stock, mushroom stock, or apple cider (not apple cider vinegar!)
Equipment
You'll need the usual tools like a sharp chef knife, cutting board, and stirring spoons.
This recipe calls for an apple corer, but if you don't have one, don't worry. And don't run out and buy one unless you see a lot of cored apples in your future! Just cut down all four sides of the apple so you end up with a square core that you can discard, compost, or toss out for the squirrels, and then chop the four sections. And if the recipe calls for peeled apples, do that first!
Let's Talk about Pans
There are so many kinds of pans! How many do you really need? The essentials are a couple of sized of saucepan, and two or three sizes of skillets. But I have two other pans that are my favorites for making large recipes that require a lot of tossing and mixing. I got my cookware from Misen, they make some awesome non-stick pans.
This is my Sauté Pan. It's like a skillet, but with straight sides. I find it easier to use for sautéing because it helps keep things from flying out of the pan. This is a 3-quart pan from Misen.
This is my Rondeau. It's like a Sauté Pan on steroids. It's great for large recipes, and for casseroles. This is a 6-quart pan from Misen.
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📖 Recipe Card
Kielbasa, Cabbage, and Apple Skillet Dinner
Special Equipment Needed
- 1 Chef knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Apple corer optional
- 1 Large skillet or Sauté Pan or Rondeau (see notes below)
- 1 Stirring spoon
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1-1½ pounds green cabbage outer leaves removed and chopped into one inch squares.
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 14 ounces kielbasa cut into ½ inch slices
- ¾ cup brown ale
- 2 tablespoons brown mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 sweet apple like Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Gala, cored, quartered, sliced, and diced.
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is melted.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter
- Add the diced onions and sauté until soft and transparent, 3 to 4 minutes.1 large yellow onion
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.4 cloves garlic
- Add the cabbage, caraway seed, salt, and pepper.1-1½ pounds green cabbage, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon white pepper
- Stir the mixture continuously until the cabbage reduces in volume by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the kielbasa, brown ale, mustard, and maple syrup to the pan. Stir and cook for 4 to 6 minutes.14 ounces kielbasa, ¾ cup brown ale, 2 tablespoons brown mustard, 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Add the diced apple, stir for about a couple of minutes, and serve.1 sweet apple
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