Sweet and tangy. Slow-cooked red cabbage is a must have side dish with any German meal.
Serves 6-8 and takes about two hours to slowly cook.

Ingredients

• 6 slices crispy bacon, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 large tart apple, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 large head red cabbage (about 3 pounds), cored and finely shredded
• 2 cups chicken stock
• ½ cinnamon stick or 2 allspice whole (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a large wide pot over medium-high heat until just crisp, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds or more. Add onions, salt, pepper, and cook while stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in apples, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Add vinegar, sugar, and cabbage to the onion-apple mixture, stir to combine. Cover the pot and cook until cabbage is bright purple and slightly wilted, 10 minutes. Add stock and salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until cabbage is tender but still red, about 1½ hours. Season with more salt and pepper, a cinnamon stick, or allspice whole, and cook briefly, 4-5 minutes more.

For a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock and omit bacon.

Thanks to Terry Kelzer for this recipe. Join Terry and friends at our Oktoberfest Dinner on September 27. Get tickets here.