- October 6, 2020
- 30 Minute Meals
Char Grilled Cabbage Steaks and Smoked Sausage on the Big Green Egg
This super easy classic dinner of Polish sausage and sliced cabbage cooked on the grill is the perfect low carb comfort food meal!
There are some meals that just give you the warm and fuzzys. Sometimes you crave a big bowl of (low carb) beef chili, maybe a savory weeknight roasted chicken, or indulge in a (keto) Copycat In N’ Out burger? And this meal? This meal is 100% comfort food heaven.
Being from Chicago, I am no stranger to a little thing called, the “Maxwell Street Polish”. This is just an epic brand of Polish sausage that is on repeat in my house now that I’ve moved back home.
While traditionally this is grilled whole and tossed on a bun with some grilled peppers and onions, I opted to put mine on a stick and serve it with roasted cabbage steaks.
Get the details for this fun, easy to grill recipe and get all the tips and techniques on how to grill smoked sausage and cabbage steaks like a pro!
“School” Supplies:
- Knife & Cutting Board
- Skewers
- Pairing Knife
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Spoons
- Pastry Brush
- Cooling Rack
- Baking Sheet
“Class” Notes:
Sausage and cabbage are classic food pairings in many cultures. I love this take on this dish by cooking it all on the grill and also spiralizing the sausage. Let’s dive into the prep, the flavors, and the cook!
Ingredients:
Maxwell Street Polish- For this cook I went with a Chicago classic! You could use smoked sausage (beef or turkey are both great options), andouille sausage, or even a bratwurst. Choose your favorite sausage and prep it for the grill. If it’s not already a cooked sausage (smoked), boil it first before grilling.
Cabbage Steaks- Cabbage is delicious grilled! You can use red or green whole head of cabbage. Cut the cabbage into one inch thick slices and grilled directly over the grates. Keep the rounds intact by placing the rounds onto a cooling rack that can easily be moved on and off the grill. This helps keep the layers together and makes it easier to transfer on and off the grill.
Cabbage Steak Marinade- I using mustard as a flavor pairing with the cabbage and sausage, so I used this as a base for the marinade. I combined olive oil, some red wine vinegar, and brown mustard (Dijon would work well too). Season the marinade with salt and pepper and use a pastry brush to coat both sides of the cabbage.
How do you spiralize a sausage?
There is something SO delicious about a spiralized smoked sausage on a stick, grilled until crispy and perfect. Why do I like eating it this way? There is so much more surface area that gets a kiss of heat from the grill, browning and caramelizing the sausage so it’s the perfect texture.
I do this easily by placing a skewer (metal or wood) down the center of a sausage. It’s important the skewer is in the center running through as evenly as possible for the best outcome. Next, take a pairing knife and cut into the sausage until you hit the skewer.
Rotate the skewer away from you as you go and cut on an 1/2 inch angle. Once you cut from top to bottom, use your hands to stretch out the sausage on the stick so it’s in a perfect spiral.
Tips for Grilling Smoked Sausage:
Prep the Big Green Egg and heat it to a medium high heat (I like around 400-425 F). Grease your grates with a high smoke point oil (grapeseed, avocado, canola) before placing down the skewered sausages.
Place each skewer directly over the grate and cook for about a minute per side and rotate as needed until you get the desired color and doneness. Be careful using wooden skewers as they can easily burn if not pre-soaked!
How do you cook cabbage on the grill?
Once the cabbages are sliced and the marinade is brushed on, place each steak onto a wire rack. This makes it easier to apply direct heat on the grill and move it to and from direct heat with ease. Cook the cabbage steaks on a medium heat. Keep the lid closed and cook until tender and a char appears, about 8 minutes total or 4 minutes per side.
Remove everything off the heat and onto a baking sheet for easy transfer. If moving the wire rack off the grill, use your high heat protectant gloves from Big Green Egg to protect your hands!
Serving:
This meat feels fun and rustic to me. Plate everything onto one big platter with a side of your favorite mustard for serving. You can eat the sausages right off the stick or use a fork (or your hands) to remove it from the skewer. Serve it all up with a good apple cider whiskey smash cocktail and you have the perfect fall meal.
Bon Appeteach,
-L
Char Grilled Cabbage Steaks and Smoked Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 Small Green Cabbage
- 4 Polish Smoked Sausages
- 2 tbsp. Brown Mustard
- 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
- Pinch of Salt & Pepper
- Garnish the cabbage with parsley cooked onions and bacon bits
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 425 F. and set it for two zone cooking (half direct and half indirect).
- Place a skewer through the center of each smoked sausage. To spiralize, Use a pairing knife to cut through the sausage until you hit the skewer, while rotating and cutting on an angle until you reach the end of the sausage. Use your hands to stretch the sausage out so the spirals go along the skewer.
- To make the cabbage steaks, slice off the ends and save for a different recipe (goes great in a breakfast hash). Cut the remainder of the steak into four, 1" rounds and set onto a wire rack.
- In a bowl whisk together the mustard, olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper. Brush the mixture on the top and bottom of both sides of each piece of cabbage.
- Place the cabbages on the indirect side of the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes then flip and repeat. Remove from the grill once they get tender.
- Place the spiralized smoked sausage skewers over direct heat and rotate every minute or so until you get the desired level of char.
- Remove and place it all on a large tray or platter and serve with a side of extra mustard.