This pork and cabbage hotpot is an ideal one-dish meal to pop in the oven and forget for a couple of hours. You’ll be rewarded with tender chunks of pork, soft vegetables in a rich gravy and a crisp, golden potato topping.
Pork and cabbage hotpot
Pork and cabbage are a classic pairing — think of traditional German dishes served with sauerkraut — and they work beautifully together in this comforting hotpot.
This recipe uses diced pork shoulder, plenty of vegetables and a sauce brightened with apple and mustard for a balanced, savory-sweet finish.
I’ve made this hotpot for years and it’s always a hit. The simple ingredients meld during slow cooking to create deep flavour and meltingly tender pork.
Slow-roasting allows the cabbage to release juices that mix with the apple and mustard to form a rich gravy while the connective tissue in the shoulder breaks down until the meat is fork-tender.
Thin potato slices on top soak up some gravy underneath and crisp up on the surface for a lovely contrast of textures.
This hotpot can also be assembled and cooked in a slow cooker — instructions are provided below.
Potato slices absorb the casserole juices and crisp up nicely in the oven for a satisfying finish.
What’s the best cut of meat to use?
Pork shoulder is ideal for this hotpot because it benefits from long, slow cooking. The connective tissue melts away and yields juicy, shreddable meat.
If you can’t get shoulder, pork butt is an acceptable substitute — both cuts come from the front part of the pig and behave similarly when cooked slowly.
Avoid pork belly for this recipe (it’s too fatty) and loin or tenderloin (they lack the connective tissue needed for long cooking and can dry out).
Cooking information
- Prep time – 15 minutes
- Cook time – 2 hrs 30 minutes
- Oven temperature – 180°C / 360°F
- Servings – 4 people
- Main equipment – large casserole dish with lid (a heavy cast-iron casserole is perfect)
- Calories – 738 per serving (approx.)
Ingredients
- Pork shoulder – trimmed of rind and excess fat, cut into large chunks (about 1½ lb / 680 g)
- Cabbage – finely shredded (about 3 cups). White cabbage holds up well during cooking.
- Onion – one large, cut into wedges.
- Carrots – two large, sliced into rounds.
- Potatoes – about 2 lb (900 g), thinly sliced. Use a mandolin or a sharp knife and keep slices even.
- Stock cube – one chicken or vegetable stock cube dissolved in 2 cups boiling water.
- Wholegrain mustard – 2 tablespoons (or Dijon).
- Apple sauce or apple puree – 3 tablespoons for a touch of sweetness.
- Tomato puree – 1 tablespoon.
- Worcestershire sauce – 1 tablespoon.
- Paprika – 2 teaspoons for seasoning the meat.
- Flour – 2–3 tablespoons (for coating the meat and thickening the gravy).
- Sunflower or neutral oil – 2–3 tablespoons for browning.
- Salt – to taste.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 360°F.
- Cut the pork into large chunks and toss with 2 tablespoons flour, the salt and paprika.
- Heat oil in a frying pan and brown the meat in batches. Avoid overcrowding so the meat sears rather than stews. Transfer browned pieces to the casserole dish.
- Fry the onion in the same pan (add a little more oil if needed) until softened, then add to the casserole.
- Add the sliced carrots to the dish.
- Finely shred the cabbage and spread it over the meat and vegetables.
- Dissolve the stock cube in boiling water and stir in Worcestershire sauce, apple puree, tomato puree and mustard. Mix 2 teaspoons flour with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a paste, then whisk that into the stock. Pour the stock over the casserole.
- Arrange the potato slices on top in overlapping rows like fish scales and sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Cover the casserole with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 2½ hours. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes to allow the potato topping to brown and crisp.
Slow cooker (crock pot) instructions
Assemble the hotpot as above, then transfer to a slow cooker. Cook 5–6 hours on low or 4–5 hours on high.
To brown the potato topping, place the inner slow-cooker dish in a hot oven for about 20 minutes after cooking.
Freezing and storage
Leftovers freeze well for up to 3 months. Cool completely before packing into a freezer-safe container.
Reheat from frozen in a saucepan or microwave until piping hot. If refrigerated, the cooked hotpot keeps for up to three days in a covered dish.
To reheat refrigerated hotpot, bring it to room temperature and then heat in a hot oven for about 20 minutes until warmed through.
Avoid assembling the dish uncooked and storing it in the fridge, as raw potato slices can discolour.
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📋The recipe
Pork and cabbage hotpot
Equipment
- Casserole dish with lid
- Frying pan
- Sharp knife
- Small bowl
Ingredients
- 1½ lb (680g) diced pork shoulder
- 2 lb (900g) potatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 stock cube (chicken or vegetable)
- 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 3 tbsp apple sauce or apple puree
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp flour (for coating and thickening)
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 2–3 tbsp sunflower or canola oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 360°F.
- Cut pork into large chunks, discard rind and excess fat. Toss with 2 tbsp flour, salt and paprika.
- Heat oil in a frying pan and brown the meat in batches. Transfer to the casserole dish.
- Fry the chopped onion in the same pan until softened, then add to the casserole.
- Add the sliced carrots to the casserole.
- Shred the cabbage finely and arrange on top.
- Dissolve the stock cube in boiling water. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, apple puree, tomato puree and mustard. Mix 2 tsp flour with 2 tbsp cold water and add to the stock. Pour over the meat and vegetables.
- Layer the potato slices on top, overlapping slightly, and sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 2½ hours. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes to allow the potatoes to brown and crisp.
Notes
Trim any rind from the pork and remove most visible fat; a little fat left on the meat adds flavour.
To cook in a slow cooker: assemble as instructed and cook 5–6 hours on low or 4–5 hours on high. Transfer the inner dish to a hot oven for about 20 minutes to brown the potato top.
Nutrition information is approximate and provided for guidance only.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates – 54.2 g
| Protein – 34.7 g
| Fat – 42.1 g
Nutrition values are estimates calculated with an online tool and should be used for guidance only.
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