Braised Beef and Cabbage

When I wasn't looking, the butcher wrapped up a lump of meat that looked like a lawnmover had run over it. Lacking the language skills to try to complain or exchange it, I did this with it and my husband couldn't rave enough over how good it was!

• Ready In: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 -2  lb beef, cubed
• 1⁄2 medium cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 3  onions, sliced
• 1 (14 ounce) can tomatoes
•  salt, to taste
•  pepper, to taste
•  sour cream (optional)
•  feta cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Sprinkle the beef cubes (mine were pretty small, maybe 1/2") with salt and pepper and brown in batches in oil over medium-high heat. Be sure to leave enough space between the beef chunks so that they actually brown and don't steam/boil when they release their liquid.
2. In the bottom of an oven proof lidded glass or ceramic baking dish (or a crockpot), layer onion and cabbage and top with beef. Repeat layering, finishing with beef.
3. Open the tomatoes use them and the liquid with them to deglaze the pan in which the meat was browned. Break up the tomatoes while you do this.
4. Pour contents of the pan over the layered meat, cabbage, and onions.
5. Cover the pot and place in a slow oven (about 200-250 degrees F) for about 2 hours.
6. Check meat for tenderness and serve or continue cooking until tender.
7. Serve with sour cream or feta cheese.