Rustic Sausage and Cabbage Bake

1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Baking Dish

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish thoroughly.

2. Blanch the Cabbage

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the thickly shredded cabbage and let it boil for about 3 minutes. Drain the cabbage in a colander and run cold water over it to stop the cooking process.

3. Layer Ingredients in the Baking Dish

Layer one-third of the cabbage in the buttered baking dish. Follow with half of the sausage, breaking it into chunks if using bulk sausage. Season with a bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper, then dot with a tablespoon of the unsalted butter. Repeat this layering process, finishing with the last third of the cabbage on top.

4. Bake the Dish

Cover the dish with parchment paper, a lid, or aluminum foil and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 2.5 hours. After 2 hours, check the liquid levels in the dish. If there is a lot of liquid, leave the dish uncovered for the last half-hour to let some of it evaporate. If there's not much liquid, keep the dish covered to maintain moisture.

5. Serve

Once the baking time is up, the cabbage should be soft and the top lightly browned. Serve the rustic sausage and cabbage bake hot, with crusty bread and mustard on the side.