Kalpudding (Meatloaf With Caramelized Cabbage)
- Total Time
- 90 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 1head green cabbage, approximately 3 pounds, cored and shredded
- 3tablespoons molasses
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- ¾pound ground beef
- ¾pound ground pork
- 1small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 1cup heavy cream
- 4tablespoons breadcrumbs
- ⅓cup chicken, beef or vegetable stock, ideally homemade or low-sodium store-bought (or water)
- ⅓cup lingonberry preserves
- 1tablespoon red-wine vinegar
- 1tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
For the Meatloaf
For the Sauce
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
946 calories; 67 grams fat; 33 grams saturated fat; 2 grams trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 54 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 35 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 1332 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 350. Put a large pan over medium-high heat, and add the butter. When it starts to foam, add the cabbage and molasses, lower the heat to medium and sprinkle with salt. Cook slowly, stirringoften, until all the liquid has evaporated and the cabbage is caramelized, approximately 20-25 minutes.
- Step 2
While the cabbage is cooking, lightly mix the meats in a large bowl, then add the onion, cream and breadcrumbs, and mix again to combine.
- Step 3
When the cabbage is done, add about a third of it to the meat mixture, and mix to combine. Use the remaining butter to grease an 8-inch-square baking pan, and transfer the meat mixture to it, spreading it out to cover the whole surface evenly. Spread remaining cabbage over the meat, pour the stock or water over the top and place in the oven, on a sheet tray, to cook for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cabbage is very, very caramelized, almost dry and crunchy at the edges. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes or so before serving.
- Step 4
While the meat and cabbage cooks, make the sauce. Heat lingonberry preserves, vinegar and butter in a small pot set over medium heat, then add Worcestershire sauce to taste. Serve alongside the kalpudding.
Private Notes
Comments
You can see in the picture above, it's when the cabbage is colored dark golden at the lightest, with lots of parts where it's dark brown, the color of chocolate. I haven't made this recipe (yet!) but I've found that the trick to even caramelization is to have the heat at just medium-high and cook patiently, because if you turn the heat up too high you'll burn some parts before the others are dark enough. I hope this helps!
Sometimes I feel like such a neophyte. How do you tell when the cabbage is "carmelized"? Not to mention "very, very carmelized".
High fives to all ya'll who gave thoughtful answers to this question. It is much appreciated in this age of snarky cooking comments and makes me smile so hard . . .
Happy cooking!
I made it and the instructions for the cabbage were unclear at best, missleading mostly. The cabbage, molasses and butter cannot stay in a medium heat for 20 minutes let alonge 25 minutes. Else it will turn into molassess brittle. The guidance should say to cook at medium heat until the cabbage is fully coated and tender about 10 to 12 minutes.
I spent way too much time cooking the cabbage on medium low when I could have cranked up the heat and just stirred more frequently while it was reducing in volume/liquid. And then I found out after 45 minutes in the oven that my lower heating element was dead. Fortunately, I was able to pop my Le Creuset Dutch oven in my neighbor’s oven. It was still a bit undercooked at 45 minutes but I didn’t want to wear out my welcome, so I transferred about half at a time to a smaller baking dish and put in my air fryer. About eight minutes later I was rewarded with very crispy, super caramelized, incredible-tasting cabbage and a moist, tender meatloaf underneath. The lingonberry sauce was the absolute cherry on top (but if you don’t happen to have lingonberry preserves on hand, cranberry sauce would be an acceptable substitute). I was extremely nervous about adding an entire cup of cream after reading other comments about the amount of liquid remaining in the finished recipe, so I scaled it back to 3/4 of a cup. Next time, I will chop the onion more finely, but that’s the only other change I’d make. This stuff is the BOMB. Make it, you’ll be so glad you did.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. It was very tasty. Instead of ground beef and pork I used ground chicken and ground pork. Probably the moistest meat loaf I’ve had.