When my brother, Chris, asked me to choose a German menu for our weekly Sunday dinner, he requested red cabbage to go with our meal. Always striving for the authentic traditional recipes, I launched into research mode, looking for the perfect recipe. Well, it seems that everyone in creation has a German Oma who used to make this for every holiday. There are a MILLION versions of this! Well, ok, maybe not a million. But definitely a hundred thousand. And since I couldn't decide which recipe was the right one for me, I decided to take components from several different recipes (as I often do) and make my own! So there. I hope you like it as much as I do. Hopefully, it's as good as your grandma used to make!
3 slices of bacon, diced
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
4 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Place the bacon in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Slowly render the fat. Add the apples and onions. Saute until they become soft. Now add the cabbage and let it cook down for a few minutes. In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients until well combined. Add to the pot and give everything a good stir. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours. Serve with pork or sausages, and a side of mashed potatoes or potato dumplings.
Tips:
To make it all shiny and glossy and rich, you can add a pat or two of butter on top as you bring it to the table and let it melt right in.
If you like a lot of bacon, or apples, or onions, add a lot! Add as much as you like!
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