Braised Cabbage

Steps

1. Marinate beef - Cut beef into small 1/2" thick chunks, add steak seasoning, place it in a plastic sealed bag & leave it in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

2. Boil a large pot of water and stir in 1 head of shredded cabbage. Turn off the heat and let it sit 30 minutes to soften, then drain and squeeze out excess water and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

3. Shred Second Cabbage -While the first cabbage soaks, finely shred the second head of cabbage (discard the core) and place it in the mixing bowl. Drain 1 cup of sauerkraut and add it to the bowl as well.

4. Sear beef - Meanwhile, set a 6 qt Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 to 3 Tbsp oil. Add half of the beef and sear until browned on all sides. Don’t worry about cooking it through, and cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan*. Add cooked meat to the bowl with cabbage.

5. Make the sauce - Add 4 Tbsp of oil to the same large skillet used to cook meat and sauté diced onion and grated carrots until soft (about 7-8 min). Add 3/4 can of tomato paste, 2 tbsp of heavy cream, 1/2 cup of water, 1 tsp of salt, 1.5 Tbsp of brown sugar, and sprinkle with some black pepper. Mix well and let it cook for a few minutes. Mix it into the cabbage mixture.

6. Braise cabbage - Transfer the mixture to a Dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid and add 2 bay leaves. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 25 minutes, stirring a few times to prevent scorching the bottom. If the mixture seems dry while cooking or is sticking to the bottom, add 1/4 cup of water. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer covered for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent scorching the bottom.