A rich and flavorful side dish that pairs well with pork, poultry or game.
Chef's notes
Braised cabbage is fantastic with just about any pork recipe. As good as this is when made fresh, there is something that happens to the sauce after it cools in the refrigerator overnight. I swear it's actually better the next day as a leftover.
Steps
1
Preparing Your Mise en Place
Ingredients
3 oz (85 g) pancetta (optional)
3 cloves fresh garlic
4 shallots
1 each/24 oz (680 g) small red cabbage
1 tbsp sugar (15 g)
1/2 cup red wine
1 tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar (or more balsamic)
1 tsp orange zest (optional)
3 granny smith apples (450 g)
To prepare your mise en place, dice the pancetta. Mince the garlic and shallots. Remove the core from the cabbage and dice into bite-sized pieces (or cut into 1/4" -inch strips). Gather the sugar, red wine, vinegar(s) and orange zest (if using). Lastly, peel the apples and have a box grater standing by.
2
Braising the Cabbage
Ingredients
3 tbsp grapeseed oil
kosher salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
To braise the cabbage, first heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil, pancetta and shallots. Sauté until the pancetta is browned and the shallots have softened. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for about a minute. Then add the cabbage and stir to coat. Add the sugar, stir and continue to cook until it starts to caramelize. While this cooks, grate the apples right into the pot. Then add the wine, vinegar(s) and orange zest. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and simmer over low heat for at least 45 minutes or until cooked through and tender.
Lately I've been putting the entire pot with lid into a 300 F degree oven and letting it slow cook for 3 hours or more. Stirring each hour of course. The development of flavor that results from this slow cooking method can not be achieved quickly on the stove top.
10 Comments
Evelyn W•
This recipe was very easy to prepare. My husband isn't very fond of red cabbage, but he really loved this. I'll be serving it often now.
So we bought Organic Red Cabbage from the farm, did a search for Red Cabbage Recipe via Rouxbe, tried it out for the first time, chilled it for a day or two, and added it to a sandwich and boy was it DELICIOUS! We recommend this recipe! It's very versatile because you can service it warm or cold. :)
Hi Jody- Thank you for the kind words about the recipe. It is a very versatile dish for sure, only limited by your imagination and ability to improvise. Happy Cooking!
I used the oven method out of necessity, all my cousin's burners were occupied, and the result was even better than when I tried making on a stove top. Great flavour.
Patricia: thanks for writing. Isn't it fun to discover a new way to cook something when it is done out of necessity? Sound as though you had a fun time creating this dish using the oven method. Thanks for letting us know! -Char
char can you give me the apples and cabbage in grams and a replacement for the red wine as i dont drink alcohol so need to replace it somehow.thank you very much.
Hi Riaz--the recipe states that you can add more balsamic. As for the apples, they are listed as 650 grams, and the cabbage is listed as 680 grams. There you go! Hope you enjoy making this recipe. Take care, Riaz. Char
Jody H •So we bought Organic Red Cabbage from the farm, did a search for Red Cabbage Recipe via Rouxbe, tried it out for the first time, chilled it for a day or two, and added it to a sandwich and boy was it DELICIOUS! We recommend this recipe! It's very versatile because you can service it warm or cold. :)
Ken R • Rouxbe Staff •Hi Jody- Thank you for the kind words about the recipe. It is a very versatile dish for sure, only limited by your imagination and ability to improvise. Happy Cooking!
Craig H •my family is german,and we make this every Christmas,cant spell what we call it in german,but its one of my favorites.
Tara M •I would like to substitute honey instead of sugar in this recipe. Would this change anything?
Patricia G •I used the oven method out of necessity, all my cousin's burners were occupied, and the result was even better than when I tried making on a stove top. Great flavour.
Char N • Rouxbe Staff •Patricia: thanks for writing. Isn't it fun to discover a new way to cook something when it is done out of necessity? Sound as though you had a fun time creating this dish using the oven method. Thanks for letting us know! -Char
Riaz M •char can you give me the apples and cabbage in grams and a replacement for the red wine as i dont drink alcohol so need to replace it somehow.thank you very much.