067 / 75 · Crisp, Tangy and Warm Sides
Cider-Braised Red Cabbage
6 warm cabbage side portions, about 150 g each · Active 25 min · Total 1 hr 35 min
Print recipe · PDFThin red cabbage braises with apple, onion and nonalcoholic apple cider until tender. Cider vinegar and a little brown sugar make a measured sweet-acid balance rather than a sticky glaze. The covered simmer is followed by a short uncovered reduction so the serving bowl does not fill with loose liquid.
Thin short shreds cook more evenly
Remove damaged outer leaves and the hard core before weighing the cabbage. Cut fine shreds and shorten very long strands so they fit comfortably on a fork. Onion starts in butter first, then the cabbage and apple join it. The pan may look full at the beginning, but the leaves collapse as they soften. A wide covered pot gives enough room to turn them without spilling. Do not pack the raw shreds down hard into a small saucepan and expect the same heat circulation.
Cider is a drink, not another name for vinegar
The larger liquid quantity is pasteurized nonalcoholic apple cider or cloudy apple juice. The separate small measure of cider vinegar supplies acidity. Confusing the two would make the pan sharply unpleasant. Brown sugar is already limited and measured, so add it with the liquids instead of sweetening by repeated spoonfuls at the end. Caraway lends a small savory note. No wine or hard cider is required, making the starting liquid choice explicit for a shared family table.
Reduce only after the cabbage is tender
Keep the lid on during the gentle braise and stir occasionally from the bottom. If the pot is drying before the shreds soften, add a small amount from the listed hot-water reserve. Once tender, remove the lid and let surplus liquid reduce until it lightly coats the cabbage. This order protects the vegetables from scorching while still giving a useful serving texture. Bring a warm side bowl to the table with a spoon that can lift the softened apple and onion along with the purple shreds.
Ingredients
- 1 lb 5 oz red cabbage, cored and finely shredded (600 g prepared)
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons butter (25 g)
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (150 g)
- 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced (150 g prepared)
- 1 cup pasteurized nonalcoholic apple cider or cloudy apple juice (240 ml)
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar (30 ml)
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar (15 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (1 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Up to 1/2 cup hot water (120 ml), only if the braise is drying
Set out
Wide heavy pot with lid, at least 4 qt/3.8 L, Knife and stable board, Broad spoon, Warm serving bowl, Food thermometer for reheating leftovers
Allergens
Milk; check cider and vinegar labels. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Melt butter in the wide pot over medium-low heat. Soften onion 8–10 minutes, stirring. Add cabbage and apple and turn 5 minutes until beginning to soften.
- Add cider drink, vinegar, sugar, caraway, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 40–50 minutes, stirring from the bottom occasionally, until cabbage is tender. Add small splashes of the listed hot-water reserve only if drying before tender.
- Uncover and simmer 5–10 minutes, stirring, until surplus liquid reduces to a light coating. Do not cook dry. Transfer to a warm bowl and serve six side portions.
The last reduction changes the serving texture
A tender cabbage pan can still carry too much loose liquid. Remove the lid only after tenderness, then stop when the juices coat rather than when the bottom becomes dry.
A useful detail
The 95-minute allowance includes shredding, the onion stage, a full gentle covered braise and final reduction. Use the nonalcoholic cider drink for the 240 ml quantity; the vinegar is a different measured ingredient.
Another way
- Replace 150 g prepared apple with 150 g firm pear, adding it for the last 20 minutes of the covered braise so it does not disappear completely. Keep cider and vinegar quantities separate.
Keep it well
Refrigerate shallow portions within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C), at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3 days. Reheat to 165°F (74°C), adding a small splash of water if needed. Freeze promptly cooled portions for up to 2 months for quality and thaw in the refrigerator. Vinegar in the dish does not make it shelf-stable.