Slow-Cooker Braised German Sweet-and-Sour Cabbage
Elevate convenient jarred sweet-and-sour red cabbage into a luscious, traditional German Rotkohl side dish. Slow-cooked with smoky bacon, tart Granny Smith apples, sweet caramelized onions, and warm spices, this hands-off crockpot recipe delivers deep, tender flavor.
Ingredients
- •32 oz jarred sweet-and-sour red cabbage (two 16-oz jars, lightly drained)
- •4 piece thick-cut bacon (diced (or substitute 2 tbsp unsalted butter))
- •1 piece yellow onion (medium, finely chopped)
- •1 piece Granny Smith apple (peeled, cored, and finely diced)
- •2 tbsp brown sugar (packed)
- •2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- •3 piece whole cloves
- •1 piece bay leaf
- •0.5 tsp kosher salt (to taste)
- •0.25 tsp black pepper (freshly cracked)
Instructions
- 1.
In a skillet over medium heat, render the diced bacon until crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chopped onion and cook in the bacon drippings until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
Time: 10 min - 2.
Transfer the bacon, onion, and rendered drippings into the crockpot. Add the jarred sweet-and-sour cabbage, diced apple, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, whole cloves, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.
Time: 2 min - 3.
Stir everything thoroughly until evenly combined. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours (or on HIGH for 1 to 1.5 hours), stirring halfway through, until the apples soften completely and the flavors meld together.
Time: 120 min - 4.
Remove and discard the bay leaf and whole cloves. Taste the cabbage and adjust seasoning with an extra splash of apple cider vinegar for sharpness or a pinch of brown sugar for sweetness, then serve warm.
Time: 3 min
Tips
- 💡To easily retrieve the whole cloves after cooking, push them into a wedge of the onion before placing it in the slow cooker, or tuck them inside a small spice pouch.
- 💡For an alcohol-infused twist, swap 2 tablespoons of the vinegar for red wine or apple cider.
- 💡This dish tastes even better the next day as the sweet-and-sour flavors deepen in the refrigerator.
Recipe from TheCookbook.ai
Created by Anonymous