German Red Cabbage

German Red Cabbage

from jocooks.com
260 min

This German Red Cabbage aka Rotkohl recipe turns regular run-of-the-mill cabbage into a tender, falvorful, comforting dish with the perfect balance of tang, sweet, and salty. It's the perfect accompaniment for braised meats or roasts, but so good you'll want to eat it with a spoon straight out of the pot.

Ingredients

  • 1 large red cabbage (shredded, about 8-10 cups)
  • 8 slices bacon (diced)
  • ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 4 teaspoon all-purpose flour (all purpose)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 medium onion (diced)
  • 2 apples (diced small, I used Gala)

Directions

  1. 1

    Add all the cabbage to a large stock pot or dutch oven with the salt, 1 cup of water, and 1/2 cup vinegar. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  2. 2

    Meanwhile, fry the bacon. Reserve 2 tsp of the bacon fat and discard the rest. Drain any liquid off the cabbage after it's done simmering, if needed.

  3. 3

    In the frying pan with your reserved bacon fat over medium heat, stir in the brown sugar and flour. Add the remaining cup of water and 1/2 cup vinegar. Stir in the salt, pepper, and onion, then simmer for 5 minutes, until the onion softens.

  4. 4

    Pour the prepared sauce into the pot with the cabbage. Add the bacon and apples, then stir to combine. Bring everything up to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer.

  5. 5

    Simmer for 3-5 hours, checking frequently and stirring. Keep a mixture of 3/4 cup water and 1/4 white vinegar on hand. Add a splash of this mixture if your cabbage starts to dry out.