Grilled Cabbage Steaks: Feed Your Body Friday

When you think of a BBQ, what's the first thing that pops into your head? If you said sizzling meat, you are not alone! 

We often associate BBQs with meat, but there are many alternatives that can be just as delicious. 

For something completely different, today's recipe is for cabbage steaks. You might be curious about this recipe because of its use of the words “cabbage” and “steak” but we guarantee that this is the perfect meat alternative or meat pairing for your Friday night BBQ.

The best part: For a completely vegetarian version, just omit the bacon.

Why You Should Eat More Cabbage

Cabbage is a great vegetable to have all year long, and even if it’s not the most popular one, it has lots of benefits.

1. Promotes the elimination of toxins

Cabbages contain sulfur derivatives that accelerate the elimination of toxins in the body, and more particularly in the liver. Other foods like blueberries, celery, and cranberries have similar effects on our bodies.

2. Boosts immunity

The leafy, flowering cabbages contain vitamin C and carotenoids like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin which help to fight help fight viruses and bacteria.

3. Low in calories

Count around 12 calories per 100 g for cabbage - which makes it a vegetable that is easy to add on to any meal. This also means that in order to reach the proper caloric content for our day we need to add elements to our cabbage in order to reap the health benefits of this vegetable.

4. Provides potassium

Put down that banana! Cabbage contains between 92 mg per 100g. Potassium is essential for preventing high blood pressure, reducing the risk of stroke and kidney stones.

Having a BBQ? Pair your cabbage steak with these Grilled Halloumi Skewers for the perfect spread.

Grilled Cabbage Steaks

Easy to cook and tasty to eat, let’s add some more cabbage to your weekly menu.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cabbage
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small lemon
• 10 slices of pre-cooked bacon, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ cup blue cheese in pieces
• 12 small basil leaves
• 1 Teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Tip: If you are not a fan of blue cheese, use grated parmesan instead. This will give you that necessary cheesy taste without all the bite.

Preparation

Let’s Grill

1. Set grill to medium-high heat.
2. Prep your cabbage by removing any dark, loose leaves and cutting it into 1-inch thick slices.
3. In a small bowl, mix together your oil, salt pepper, and garlic.
4. Once mixed, brush this mixture on both sides of your cabbage steaks.
5. Place on grill and cook until tender, about 5 minutes per side.

Sauce time!

1. First, zest and then juice your lemon set aside.
2. Grab a bowl and start by adding your mayo and maple syrup in. Mix well.
3. Start slowly adding your lemon juice and zest, you can choose the amount you’d like to add based on your own tastes.

Time to Assemble

1. Once cooked, remove the cabbage from the grill and plate them.
2. First, drizzle the sauce on with a spoon.
3. Next, sprinkle your toppings on: blue cheese, bacon, and fresh basil.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Cabbage Tip: At the grocery store, choose ones that are very heavy and dense. Its leaves should be tight, firm, shiny, and should crunch under the fingers. Once home simply keep it in the crisper of your refrigerator. This veggie is not particularly fragile, so you can keep it up to a week or two weeks easily.

Cabbage can often taste bitter or rubbery if not properly cooked, but when grilled with this method the cabbage will have a crunch and will have a similar taste to a roasted Brussel sprout. If you find that your cabbage steaks are tasting bitter, add some more sugar, salt, or lemon to your recipe. Additionally, make sure if you are storing these after they are cooked that you are putting them in an airtight container so that they do not wilt.

So try this recipe tonight! Cabbage is the ideal companion for a healthy and balanced diet. Plus, if you’re on a budget, it’s also affordable and lasts up to a week in your fridge!

Have you ever tried red cabbage? Try this Chickpea & Red Cabbage Taco Recipe next.