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Lucicos – Traditional Hungarian Smoky Cabbage Soup with Pork Ribs

By Delicious Recipes!Posted on
Lucicos – Traditional Hungarian Smoky Cabbage Soup with Pork Ribs

🍲 Lucicos – Traditional Hungarian Smoky Cabbage Soup with Pork Ribs

Lucicos is a silky, tangy cabbage soup with smoky pork ribs and an intense thyme aroma. This comforting traditional dish brings warmth and hearty flavors perfect for family meals.

🥄 Ingredients

  • 1 kg naturally smoked pork ribs
  • 1 small cabbage (approx. 650 g)
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 canned tomatoes (or 150 ml homemade tomato paste)
  • Generous dried thyme
  • 1 heaping tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

👩‍🍳 Instructions

  1. Cut ribs between the bones and place them in a large pot. Cook over low heat to slowly release fat and brown evenly, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare vegetables.
  2. Add chopped onions, bell pepper, and grated carrot to the ribs. Stir and cook for about 3 minutes until the onions soften slightly.
  3. Pour 2.5 liters of water into the pot. Simmer partially covered over medium-low heat for 1 hour. The ribs should be tender enough for a fork to slide in easily.
  4. Remove outer cabbage leaves and core the cabbage. Cut cabbage in half, then slice each half into 1.5 cm thick strips. Rotate 90 degrees and slice again into 1.5 cm cubes.
  5. Sprinkle cabbage generously with salt and black pepper, then massage gently until it softens a bit. If cabbage is young, less massaging is needed.
  6. Add crushed canned tomatoes and some of their juice to the cabbage.
  7. Add cabbage to the pot with ribs and stir to distribute evenly. The soup will seem thick but will thin as the cabbage softens.
  8. Add generous dried thyme sprigs on top. Pluck some thyme leaves off and sprinkle into the soup.
  9. Simmer covered for another 30 minutes over low heat. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Ensure cabbage is tender. Remove thyme sprigs.
  10. Heat oil in a wide pan. Add flour and stir until absorbed and forming a paste. Gradually add 3-4 ladles of hot soup to the paste, stirring to form a smooth thin roux.
  11. Pour roux back into the soup and stir. Simmer covered for 5 minutes.
  12. Add chopped fresh dill and turn off heat. Let soup rest for 30 minutes before serving.

🍽️ Servings

  • Serves 8

💡 Tips

  • Use naturally smoked ribs for authentic flavor.
  • Cook ribs slowly over low heat to develop richness.
  • Massage cabbage to soften and release flavor.
  • Prepare roux carefully to avoid lumps and achieve a silky soup.
  • Let the soup rest before serving to deepen flavor and thicken texture.

📝 Final Thoughts

Lucicos is a silky, tangy cabbage soup with smoky pork ribs and intense thyme aroma. This comforting traditional dish brings warmth and hearty flavors perfect for family meals.