Jägerkohl - German Hunter Cabbage Stew

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Warm your soul and nourish your body with this German hunter cabbage stew, aka Jägerkohl. Slowly simmered ground beef, bacon, kielbasa, and onions with cabbage and potatoes is a hearty, tasty comfort dish the whole family loves.

Cabbage recipe is part of the Ruhr district (urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and also the name of the river that flows through the region) as the collard greens are of the South.

Why you'll love german hunter cabbage stew:

It's...

• Convenient
• Healthy-ish
• Simple to make
• Substantial
• Packed with flavor
• Feeds a crowd
• A great winter dish

Don't just wait for winter! Start making this delicious dish part of your regular meal rotation.

About German hunter stew

I ate many cabbage dishes in the six years of my living in Germany. Hunter stew, as the name suggests, was traditionally served during the hunting season and using various wild game but today is enjoyed year-round. 

The recipe has many adaptations, so if you don't like venison, you can basically use whatever domestic meat you have on hand.

This healthy vegetable is popular in the winter season, and this particular Jägerkohl recipe is close to my heart, for I learned how to make it from my late German ex-mother-in-law.

I won't bore you with details, but I want to point out that she was a beautiful human being, selfless and unbiased. We kept in touch even after my divorce and I moving overseas. I aspire to be at least half as a person she was.

Back to the Eintopf (stew) recipe...

What is in this hunter cabbage stew?

These ingredients make for a delicious, substantial gluten-free meal the whole family loves.

• Cabbage - A small head of cabbage coarsely chopped or sliced. Remove the outer leaves and discard the core.
• Meats - Ground beef, kielbasa (or any smoked sausage), and bacon. You can also use a mix of beef and pork or use ground chicken for a healthier option, with less fat.
• Aromatics - Onion, chopped. Onions give such a pleasing aroma to every dish!
• Spices - Caraway seeds (optional). They add an earthy flavor, with a mild hint of anise.
• Seasonings - salt and pepper, to taste.
• Fat - Vegetable or olive oil. Plus, there will be bacon fat too.
• Liquid - Beef broth. I go for the low sodium or no added sodium. You can use water instead as well but adjust the seasonings as necessary.

How do you make hunter stewed cabbage?

*Details and the printable recipe are available at the bottom of this post.

1. Brown the meats - Brown the bacon, kielbasa, and onion and then add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
2. Add the vegetables - Add cabbage, potatoes, salt, pepper, and caraway. Stir in the beef broth and cover with a lid.
3. Cook the stew - Slowly simmer the stew for 30 minutes or until cabbage is cooked through.

People also asked:

1. WHAT IS KIELBASA?

Kielbasa is a Polish-style smoked meat sausage. In the US, it is typically referred to a U-shaped smoked sausage similar to the Wiejska sausage in the UK.

2. CAN I MAKE HUNTER STEW IN THE SLOW COOKER?

This stew also works great in the slow cooker. Just add the browned meats and all of the other ingredients. Let it cook on low for 3-4 hours or until the vegetables are tender.

3. CAN I MAKE GERMAN JÄGERKOHL IN THE INSTANT POT?

When short on time, make this favorite German stew in an instant pot.

• Brown the meats (as in recipe steps 1 & 2 below) using Sauté setting on your instant pot.
• Add the remaining ingredients (as in recipe steps 3 & 4) and cancel the Sauté setting.
• Close the lid and turn the venting knob to the sealing position.
• Change the setting to Manual and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
• Do a quick release or allow the pressure to release naturally.

4. CAN I FREEZE CABBAGE STEW?

This stew is an easy freezer meal. To freeze this stew, chill it thoroughly in the refrigerator first, then divide it into single-serving portions and transfer to the freezer for up to three months.

5. STORING LEFTOVER STEW

Properly stored, this soup will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Keep leftovers in an airtight container.

If you make this recipe let me know. Please leave a comment below with a star rating.

More incredible cabbage recipes:

• BOSNIAN STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS
• PALESTINIAN STUFFED SAVOY CABBAGE
• POLISH HALUSKI RECIPE
• SWEET AND SOUR APPLE CABBAGE SALAD
• SLAVONIAN POLENTA CASSEROLE WITH SAVOY CABBAGE
• SLOVENIAN VEGETABLE AND CHEESE PIE
• 5 TIPS TO MAKE ANYONE LOVE CABBAGE

Jägerkohl - German Hunter Cabbage Stew

This German recipe is a fabulous way to use the versatile cabbage. Stewed with kielbasa, ground beef, onions, and potatoes it's a pure comfort meal!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: German

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 451kcal

Author: Jas

Equipment

• Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan
• Knifes
• chopping board
• wooden spoon

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 bacon strips sliced into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 pound kielbasa sliced
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 pound ground beef or a mix of beef and pork
• 2- pound head cabbage coarsely chopped
• 1 pound potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 cup beef or vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds optional
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat.
• Add 4 strips of sliced bacon, 1/2 pound sliced kielbasa, and 1 chopped onion. Sauté until lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes. Add 1 pound of ground beef and cook until the meat is no longer pink.
• Toss in the chopped 2-pound head cabbage and 1 pound peeled and diced potato. Season the meat mixture with salt and pepper to taste and 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, if using. Stir well to combine scraping up the browned bits in the bottom of the pan.
• Add 1 1/2 cup stock, cover, and let simmer until cabbage is tender, about 30-40 minutes.
• Serve with crusty bread.
  

Video

Notes

• Kielbasa is a Polish-style smoked sausage but you can use any smoked sausage available at your location.
• Remove the outer leaves and discard the core of the cabbage before chopping or slicing.
• You can use a mix of beef and pork or use ground chicken for a healthier, less fat option. 
• Using caraway seeds is optional, but they and cabbage are meant to be together. 
• Use the low sodium or no added sodium beef or vegetable broth. Replace with water if you wish, but adjust the salt and pepper.
• Serve with crusty bread to scoop up all the yummy juices. 
• This stew tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 626mg | Potassium: 718mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 148IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3mg

Tried this recipe? Rate it below!Mention @all_thats_jas and tag it #allthatsjas

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