Maw's Maw's Cabbage Casserole (Simple Savory Southern)

I walked into my mom's kitchen and HAD to ask about the mouth-watering aroma that filled the house. "Cabbage Casserole; your Maw Maw used to make it." I took a bowl. It was surprisingly delicious, for just being cabbage, onions, ground meat, butter, and breadcrumbs. "The key is letting it all cook down" my mom said. It's amazing how a dish based off of cheap, bitter cabbage can turn into delicious and filling meal with just occasional stirring and a good bit of time.

The following recipe calls for one cabbage. You can use any ground meat you like (beef, turkey, pork).

For those who live in New Orleans, if you've got cabbage leftover from any St. Patty's parades, this is a great recipe to use it up! Just make two pots at once, or double the recipe in one really big pot. I do believe my mom also does the smothering process in a slow cooker when there's extra time. Experiment and enjoy!

 Maw Maw's Cabbage Casserole

Prep: 8 minutes  Cook: 20 minutes stove + 45 minutes oven  Total: 1hour 13 minutes  Makes: 6 servings

Equipment:
Large pot (chili pot), tongs or wooden spoons (for tossing/smothering cabbage), small bowl (for beaten egg), 9x9 or similar size baking dish, stove, oven 

 Ingredients:

1 lb ground meat 1 small onion, chopped 1 cabbage (about 2.5 lb) 1 egg, lightly beaten ½ stick* butter ½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

* ½ stick= ½ cup

Method:
1. Brown ground meat and onions until meat is mostly cooked. If desired, drain most or all of the grease. (It may be fattier, but leaving the grease really helps with the cabbage smothering process, and adds flavor.)

2. Add cabbage. Smother the cabbage until most of it is translucent, about 10-20 mins. While smothering, preheat oven to 300F.

3. Take the pot off the heat source. Add beaten egg and butter. When butter is melted, add the breadcrumbs.

4. Transfer the cabbage mixture to a baking dish. Sprinkle with desired amount of breadcrumbs. Bake at 300F for 45 mins, or until desired tenderness is reached.

Tips:
1. In step 1, "mostly cooked" means yes, there can be some pink left, but mostly brown.
2. For step 2, I find tongs to be the easiest, cleanest way to toss and smother the cabbage.
3. This recipe makes 6 servings as a main course. As a side dish, it could easily be 8-10 servings.