Cabbage Stew with Pork and Okra Recipe

Hello, Cuban Food Nation. Welcome back to another fantastic recipe from the Cuban Redneck Kitchen! If you like cabbage stews, repollo, or col guisada (Cuban Stewed Cabbage), you are going to love my take on Caribbean Cabbage Stew with Pork and Okra! The Okra part was a last-minute decision, but I have to say it worked out so well it is worth repeating! As I have said before, I have had the fortune to have lived at several places throughout the Caribbean. I have spent quite a bit of time in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago! Since then, these two island nations have inspired my cooking. They have transformed my seasoning and even got me making dishes that I would have never attempted, like shrimp curry, brown stew, fried bake, and pelau. Today’s recipe has a little bit of all of that!

I set out to make somewhat of a Cubanized brown stew pork that got converted into a cabbage stew with pork after a friend hooked me up with several homegrown red cabbages. As I was preparing to film the recipe, I went to my garden, from where I came back with more than a dozen okras. That is the real reason why this dish is called Caribbean Cabbage Stew with Pork and Okra. As I said in the video, I have used cabbage and okras before making quimbombo, a Cuban okra stew with pork and plantain dumplings. I like this mixture and one that works well if you don’t have enough of either one to make a whole meal. So without further delay, let’s get cooking.

• 5 lbs. – Boneless Country Ribs
• ½ – Red Cabbage
• 1 lb. – Okra
• 4-5 – Cloves of Garlic
• ½ – Onion
• 3-4 – Tomatoes
  *or a 15 oz. can of chopped Tomatoes
• 2 – Cups of Tomato or Pasta Sauce
• 2 – Cups of Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• 2 – Cups of Water
• 1 – tsp. of Salt
• 1 – tsp. of Pepper
• 1 – tsp. of Oregano
• 1 – tsp. of Cumin
• 1 – tsp. of Onion Powder
• 1 – tsp. of Garlic Powder
• 1 – 2 tsp. of Sugar
• 3 – tbs. White Whine
• ¼ – Cup lemon Juice
• ½ – Bell Pepper (to taste)
• 1- Scotch Bonnet Pepper (optional)

The first thing we need to do is tenderize our pork. I am using country-style boneless pork ribs. These are known for being a little rubbery and somewhat tuff! They won’t be after we are finished with them! Don’t worry. Prepare a mixture of 50/50 salt and baking soda. I also added paprika to mine, but that is optional. Rince the ribs in a mixture of water and vinegar, pad them dry, and apply the salt, baking soda mix. Please put them in the fridge for about two hours.

While that marinates, let’s cut the onion, garlic, peppers, and okra. As the marinating time expires, let’s get some oil to temp in a large pot. We are going to start with the okras. We are going to sear them a little under medium heat. As the pot begins to dry, add the lemon juice. Cook for another minute or so, deposit it into a mixing bowl, and let it cool off.

Add a little more oil to the pot, and let sear the pork. This is going to take 3-4 minutes per side. As the pork starts to get a little color, let’s add the onion and peppers. Cook for a couple of minutes or until the onions start to get translucent. At this point, add the garlic and keep on stirring. As the garlic starts to get aromatic, let’s deglaze the pot by adding about 2-3 tablespoons of dry cooking wine. Let it cook for a minute or two, then add the vegetable or chicken stock. Turn the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Once at a boil, add the tomato sauce, give it a minute or so, and then add the water. Cover it and cook on medium heat for 30-minutes.

After the time expires, let add the okras. Stir it, cover it and cook for another 10 minutes. After that, add the cabbage and cook for another 10-minutes. At this time, check for salt and pepper, and you are ready to eat! That may sound like a lot of back and forth, but trust me, this is a simple, super savory recipe you will be making time and time again!

My name is JC coming to you from the Cuban Redneck Kitchen. I look forward to having you as a subscriber, and please leave me a comment. I would like to know what you think of my Caribbean Cabbage Stew with Pork and Okra recipe.