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Brigitte's Red Cabbage

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Submitted by skeeter

German braised red cabbage with bacon, apple, onion, and a sweet-sour vinegar-sugar finish. A traditional side dish that gets better with every reheat.

YIELD

8 servings

PREP

20 min

COOK

20 min

READY

40 min

This German-style braised red cabbage is the kind of dish your Oma would have simmering on the stove all afternoon. Finely shredded cabbage cooks down with bacon, chopped onion, and cubed apple in the bacon drippings, then gets finished with a splash of vinegar and a touch of sugar for that classic sweet-sour balance.

The bacon grease is the foundation of all the flavor here. Frying the bacon first and then sauteing the onion in the rendered fat builds a smoky, savory base that the cabbage absorbs as it softens. Crumble the cooked bacon back in so you get little salty bites throughout.

This is one of those rare dishes that genuinely improves with reheating. Make it a day or two ahead and warm it up before serving. The flavors meld and deepen each time, and the cabbage turns silky and tender. It’s a perfect make-ahead side dish for a roast or holiday table.

Chef Tips

  • Shred the cabbage as fine as you can. Thick pieces take much longer to cook and don’t absorb the seasoning as well
  • Use a tart apple like Granny Smith. Sweet apples turn to mush and make the dish too sugary
  • Season with vinegar and sugar at the end, tasting as you go. The balance should be tangy with just a hint of sweet
  • Add water gradually. You want the cabbage covered but not swimming

Variations

  • Add a few whole cloves or juniper berries for a more traditional Northern European flavor
  • Use red wine vinegar instead of plain vinegar for deeper color and a sharper tang
  • Stir in a tablespoon of red currant jelly in place of the sugar for a fruitier sweetness

Ingredients

1 1
SMALL SMALL RED CABBAGE
head *
1 1
MEDIUM MEDIUM APPLE
1 1
SMALL SMALL ONION
3 3
SLICES SLICES BACON
1 5
TEASPOON ML VINEGAR
1 5
TEASPOON ML SUGAR

Directions

Shred cabbage finely.

Fry bacon until crisp, sauté the chopped onion in the bacon grease.

Add cabbage and peeled, cubed apple and crumbled bacon.

Fill up with water until the cabbage is well covered.

Cook until soft and then season with vinegar and sugar to taste.

Add salt to taste.

This can be warmed up again and again, and it gets better the more it is warmed up.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 29g (1.0 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 29 40% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 70mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Sugars g
Protein 3g
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 0% Iron 0%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low Fat, Low in Saturated Fat, Low Cholesterol, Trans-fat Free, Low Carb, Low Sodium
 

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