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If you’re looking for a bold, flavor packed quick and easy weeknight dinner, this Surf and Turf Dirty Cabbage is a must try! Tender cabbage gets cooked on a hot griddle with savory beef, juicy shrimp, and simple sauces for a dish that brings land and sea together in every bite. It’s smoky, savory, and loaded with the kind of big flavor that makes you want to go back for seconds. Whether you’re firing up the grill for a weekend cookout or looking for a new way to elevate your favorite cabbage recipe, this surf and turf cabbage is anything but ordinary.
Looking for more easy griddle recipes, try my viral Beef Egg Roll recipe, Sausage and Tortellini dinner, or the original Dirty Cabbage recipe.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Grilled Cabbage Recipe
There are plenty of reasons this recipe deserves a spot in your weekly schedule.
- Easy grilled side dish with simple ingredients.
- Packed with smoky, savory flavor.
- Grilling creates delicious caramelized cabbage edges.
- Great way to turn inexpensive cabbage into something special.
- Perfect for summer grilling and backyard BBQs.
- Pairs with beef, pork, chicken, and seafood.
- Easy to customize with your favorite BBQ seasoning.
- Great for weeknight dinners or large cookouts.
What Is Dirty Cabbage?
Dirty cabbage is a savory cabbage dish cooked with seasonings and flavorful ingredients that coat the cabbage as it cooks. The name reflects the way the cabbage becomes mixed with browned meat, spices, and cooking juices, giving it a rich color and plenty of flavor.
Unlike traditional boiled cabbage, griddle cooked dirty cabbage develops a combination of tender pieces and caramelized edges. The high heat helps bring out the cabbage’s natural sweetness while allowing it to absorb the flavors of the other ingredients.
For this Surf and Turf Dirty Cabbage, the beef and shrimp add a delicious twist. The beef brings rich, savory flavor, while the shrimp adds a tender, slightly sweet seafood element. Combined with seasoned cabbage, the result is a hearty dish inspired by the bold flavors of Southern cooking and outdoor griddle meals.
Ingredients needed to make Surf and Turf Dirty Cabbage
- Beef: adds savoriness to the recipe. Use cubed sirloin for stir fry for best results.
- Shrimp: easy protein that pairs well with beef.
- Cabbage: holds up extremely well over direct heat, making it one of my favorite vegetables to cook on the grill. Adds volume to the recipe.
- Peppers: bell peppers add crunch and sweetness.
- Broth: helps saute the veggies.
- Seasoning: an All Purpose rub to balance all the flavors.
- Red pepper flakes: if you like spicy food, add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for some heat.
How to make Surf and Turf Dirty Cabbage
Prep the Veggies and Meats
This Grilled Dirty Cabbage recipe requires very little prep work. All of the cooking is done directly on the griddle, so make sure to cut or slice all the ingredients before.
For this recipe I used a whole head of cabbage. For more texture and crunch, I also added in a few bell peppers and a yellow onion. Chop theses veggies into large chunky pieces. It might seem like that’s a lot of cabbage but it will shrink down during the cooking process. Trust me here.
For the protein, I went with shrimp and diced sirloin but feel free to use whatever cut you like best. In a bowl, add the beef pieces and mix it with the cornstarch and soy sauce. This process is called velveting. It coats thinly sliced meat in a protective mixture to lock in moisture and tenderizes tough fibers.
Toss the shrimp in olive oil and season with my All Purpose Rub.
Dad’s Seasonings
Must have grillin seasonings!
Time for the Grill
I used my griddle for this beef and shrimp recipe, but you can easily make this Surf and Turf Dirty Cabbage on any grill or stove top using a cast iron skillet.
Preheat the griddle to a medium high heat and add a little olive oil.
Start by adding in the chopped onion and bell peppers. Season with Dad’s All Purpose seasoning and sauté until they get translucent but still have some crunch.
While the veggies are cooking, first add the cubed beef and cook until browned on all sides. Remove from the griddle and repeat the process with the shrimp. These will cook very quickly, about 1 minute per side.
Next, add the cabbage and minced garlic and mix it with the sautéing veggies. Add W sauce, beef broth and mix everything well. Cover the griddle and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Once the cabbage has softened, add the grilled steak and shrimp into the veggies and mix everything together.
For the final step, add some crushed red pepper flakes, give everything one more mix and remove from the griddle.
Final Thoughts
This Surf and Turf Dirty Cabbage is a bold, flavor packed meal that brings together tender beef, juicy shrimp, and perfectly seasoned cabbage in one delicious dish. It’s an easy way to switch up your usual dinner routine with a hearty griddle recipe that delivers big flavor without a lot of cleanup. Whether you’re cooking for a weeknight family dinner or looking for something different to serve at your next cookout, this surf and turf recipe is sure to become a new favorite! Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
The “dirty” name comes from the dark, charred, crispy exterior and browned bits that coat the cabbage.
The cabbage should be deeply browned on the outside and tender enough to pierce easily with a fork. The center should no longer be crunchy.
Try the easy and delicious dinner recipes:
If you tried this Surf and Turf Dirty Cabbage or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Surf and Turf Dirty Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 lb Cubed sirloin or stir fry meat
- 1 lb Large shrimp (deveined and de-shelled)
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Corn starch
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup Beef broth
- 2 tbsp All purpose seasoning
- 1 tbsp Minced garlic
- 1 Head of cabbage, diced
- 2 Bell peppers, diced
- 1 Onion, diced
Instructions
- Roughly chop up the bell peppers, onion and cabbage.
- To a separate bowl add the cubed meat, soy sauce, corn starch and mix well.
- Coat the shrimp with olive oil and season with Dad's All Purpose Rub.
- Preheat the griddle to medium/hight heat and add the diced peppers and onion. Season with Dad's All Purpose Rub.
- Add the diced meat and cook until browned on all sides, approximately 2-3 minutes. Remove and repeat the process with the shrimp.
- When the veggies start to soften and the diced cabbage and mix well.
- Add the W Sauce, beef broth, mix it well, cover the griddle and cook until the cabbage is tender. Approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Add back the cooked beef and shrimp and mix with the veggies.
- Remove everything from the griddle and enjoy!
My new favorite way of making dirty cabbage! I hope you try it out.