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Solyanka with cabbage, potatoes and meat

Braised Cabbage with Potatoes and Pork (Solyanka)

Homey, appetizing, and perfect for a family dinner! This braised cabbage with potatoes and pork—known as solyanka in Eastern Europe—is a hearty, delicious dish made in many countries. It's essentially a braise of stewed vegetables, cooked either meat-free or with meat or sausage added.

hallen-bunny

Recipe author

Solyanka with cabbage, potatoes and meat

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pork

400

Cabbage

600

Potatoes (large)

Carrot

Onion

Tomato paste

Vegetable oil

Water

200

Parsley (or other herbs)

Ground black pepper

Salt (level (scant))

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 26 % 5 g

Fats 37 % 7 g

Carbohydrates 37 % 7 g

110 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Cooking time: 40 min

Step 1:

How do you make braised cabbage with potatoes and pork? Gather your ingredients. Use boneless pork, ideally with a little marbling—it makes the braise juicier. Wash and dry the vegetables first.
Step 2:

Rinse the pork and pat it dry well, then cut it into small pieces. Heat a skillet over high heat, add two tablespoons of vegetable oil, and fry the meat for 10–15 minutes, until golden brown. As it cooks, the meat releases fat that you'll use later.
Step 3:

Transfer the meat to a heavy-bottomed pot and add a cup of water. Cook the meat over low heat for 10 minutes.
Step 4:

Peel the potatoes and cut them into large cubes. Add them to the meat.
Step 5:

Peel the carrot and cut it into small pieces—rounds or matchsticks. Add it along with the potatoes and let everything braise together for another 10 minutes.
Step 6:

While the vegetables and meat braise, shred the cabbage thinly. A cabbage shredder or a double-bladed knife works well—shredded this way, the cabbage is very thin and cooks fast. Add it to the pot with the other vegetables to braise.
Step 7:

Meanwhile, make the sautéed base. Peel one large onion and finely chop it. Fry the onion in the fat rendered from the meat. Once it turns golden, add the tomato paste. Cook everything together for another couple of minutes so the tomato paste develops its flavor. Add this tomato mixture to the pot. Stir well and braise for another 10–15 minutes.
Step 8:

If you like, add any herbs to the dish—I added finely chopped parsley. Stir the herbs in last and turn off the heat right away.
Step 9:

Let the braise rest and cool a bit; after 10–15 minutes it's ready to serve. Enjoy!

Rinse the meat and be sure to pat it dry with a paper towel—excess moisture keeps it from browning, so it ends up stewing instead of searing.
You can swap the tomato paste for canned tomatoes in their juice, fresh tomatoes, or ketchup.
Fry with an oil that has a high smoke point. Every oil is good only up to a certain temperature—its smoke point—beyond which it starts to burn and forms harmful compounds. Unrefined oils, with few exceptions, have a low smoke point because they're full of unfiltered particles that scorch quickly. Refined oils hold up better to heat and have a higher smoke point. Whenever you're cooking in the oven, in a skillet, or on the grill, reach for a high-smoke-point oil. The most common ones are refined sunflower, olive, and grapeseed oil.