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One-Pot Braised Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage
Meltingly tender and deeply savory, this slow-cooked red cabbage balances the sharp bite of cider vinegar with natural sweetness from fresh pears and apple juice. The long braise breaks down the hearty leaves until they're completely soft, while a touch of allspice adds a subtle earthy warmth. It's a fantastic companion for roasted pork, sausages, or heavy holiday mains.
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 1 pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 2 medium heads red cabbage (2 pounds each), cut into quarters, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1 can (14½ ounces) beef broth or 1 ¾ cups Brown Beef Stock
- 1 cup apple juice
- ⅓ cup cider vinegar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 small bay leaves
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
- 1Warm the vegetable oil in a large nonreactive pot over medium heat. Toss in the chopped onions and pear, cooking and stirring often until they soften, about 10 minutes.
- 2Stir in the sliced red cabbage, beef broth, apple juice, cider vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, and ground allspice. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- 3Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage becomes completely tender, about 1 hour. Keeping the pot covered traps the steam to help break down the tough cabbage leaves.
- 4Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally for another 15 minutes until the liquid mostly evaporates. This concentrates the sweet and sour flavors into a rich glaze. Discard the bay leaves and transfer to a serving bowl.
Notes
- Equipment: Use a nonreactive pot, like stainless steel or enamel. This prevents the vinegar from interacting with the metal and giving the dish a metallic taste.
- Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually deepen overnight.
- Make ahead: This dish reheats beautifully, making it a great candidate to cook a day in advance.
- Swap: You can use chicken or vegetable broth instead of beef broth if you prefer.
Recipe Details
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