Cast-Iron Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet with Whole-Grain Mustard
Brown sliced kielbasa in a hot cast-iron skillet over a camp stove or campfire grate, then char chopped cabbage in the drippings. Add a splash of water, cover for 5 minutes to soften it, and stir in whole-grain mustard. Start to finish it takes about 30 minutes, and it's done when the sausage hits 165°F and the cabbage is tender with browned edges.
This is a lunch you can make with one pan and a knife. Smoked sausage gives the cabbage salt, fat and smoke. Mustard adds the tang. Nothing else is needed.
Cabbage is a great camp vegetable. It's cheap, it's tough, and it rides in the car for days without fuss. The kielbasa is fully cooked, so you're really browning it and heating it through. Keep it on ice until the pan is hot.
Cast-Iron Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet with Whole-Grain Mustard
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium-high flame or medium coals
- Pack weight
- 3 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- One burner
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
Gear you'll need
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- Lid or heavy-duty foil
- Camp stove or campfire grate
- Chef's knife and cutting board
- Long-handled spatula or tongs
- Instant-read thermometer
- Heat-safe gloves or pot holder
Steps
-
Cut the cabbage
Quarter the cabbage, cut out the core, and slice the wedges into 1-inch pieces. Pull apart the layers as you go.
-
Slice the sausage
Cut the kielbasa into ½-inch coins. Keep the knife and board for cooked food only, and wash them if they touched anything raw.
-
Heat the skillet
Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Wait until the oil shimmers, about 3 minutes.
-
Brown the kielbasa
Add the coins in a single layer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, flipping once, until the edges are deep golden. Move them to a clean plate and leave the drippings in the pan.
-
Char the cabbage
Add all the cabbage with a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring only every minute or so, until the edges brown.
-
Steam it down
Pour in the water and cover the skillet with a lid or tight foil. Cook 5 minutes, until the cabbage is tender but still has some bite.
-
Reheat the sausage
Uncover and stir in the kielbasa. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the water is gone and the sausage reads 165°F in the center of a few pieces.
-
Stir in mustard
Take the skillet off the heat and stir in 2 Tbsp of the mustard. Serve right away, with the last tablespoon on the side.
Trail Notes
Core and chop the cabbage at home and carry it in a zip bag. Keep it and the kielbasa in the cooler until you cook.
A whole cabbage keeps for days without ice. Kielbasa does not, so eat it on day one or two, or keep it frozen in the cooler until then.
Keep the cooler at 40°F or below and the sausage in a sealed bag on ice. Don't leave leftovers out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F.
Strain dishwater through a mesh strainer and pack out the food bits. Scatter the strained water at least 200 feet from streams, lakes and camp. Carry out any cabbage cores and trimmings.
Campers ask
Can you cook kielbasa over a campfire?
Yes. Most kielbasa is fully cooked, so you're just browning it and heating it to 165°F. A skillet on a grate gives you more even heat than a stick.
How do you keep cabbage from getting soggy at camp?
Brown it in a hot pan before adding any water. Use only a splash and steam it for about 5 minutes, then uncover so the liquid cooks off.
Does cabbage need to stay in the cooler when camping?
Not for a few days. A whole head holds up fine in a cool, shaded spot. Cut cabbage lasts longer in the cooler.
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