German Red Cabbage Recipe (Rotkohl)
This classic bold flavored German Red Cabbage Recipe is braised until tender with wine, spices, sugar, and vinegar for an unbelievable vegetable side dish.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup lard
- 1 peeled thinly sliced red onion
- 2 cored, peeled, and thinly sliced Granny Smith apples
- 1 head cored and thinly sliced red cabbage
- ¾ cup dry red wine
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 4 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons currant jelly
- coarse salt and cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the lard to a large rondeau or pot and heat over medium heat.
- Place in the onions, gently season with salt, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or until they start to turn brown.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 10 to 12 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the apples over medium-high heat and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Next, add in the cabbage, gently season with salt, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes to break it down a little.
- Deglaze with the red wine and cook until it is mostly absorbed or only a few tablespoons remain.
- Add in the sugar, cloves, bay leaves, vinegar, and water and stir until combined.
- Place on a lid and simmer over low to medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cover and continue to cook until any remaining liquid is reduced to 2 to 3 tablespoons, which takes about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove the cloves and bay leaves and stir in the jelly until it is melted in.
- Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and serve.
Notes
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten within 30 minutes of making it. You can keep it warm over very low heat covered in a pan for up to 1 hour before serving. This may cause the cabbage to soften more.
How to Store: Cover and keep the red cabbage in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This freezes well and is covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for one day or until thawed.
How to Reheat: Add two tablespoons of oil or lard to a large frying pan over high heat until it smokes lightly. Place in the desired amount of fried cabbage and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until warm. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and serve.
If bacon is not an option, you can fry the cabbage in neutral-flavored oil or clarified butter.
Other spices you can add to the cabbage are star anise, cinnamon stick, and juniper berries.
Be sure to watch my Pork Schnitzel Recipe video to see how I push the cloves into an onion ring so that they are easy to fish out once the cabbage is done cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 115kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 2gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.03gSodium: 44mgPotassium: 439mgFiber: 5gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 1671IUVitamin C: 84mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 1mg