Rotkohl or Blaukraut / Braised Red Cabbage

Directions

1. Clean, quarter, core cabbages. Remove the outer most leaves as needed.
2. Rough slice cabbage.
3. Preheat stock pot or deep pot
4. If using bacon, add chopped bacon and all to cook down until it is translucent and much of the fat is rendered (do not fully cook the bacon and do not discard the grease). If going vegetarian, skip the bacon and just heat up vegetable oil.
5. Sauté chopped onion in vegetable oil, or bacon grease (with bacon), until onions are translucent.
6. Add sliced apples (skins on) to the sautéed onions and cook slightly, while stirring.
7. Add sugar to the sautéed onions and apples and continue cooking and stirring. Sugar will help further soften the apples. Do not over cook the apples, they should be softened but still be slightly firm.
8. Add cabbage (sliced) to sautéed onions and bacon and cook, stirring, until cabbage begins to turn color.
9. Add 3:1 mixture of water/vinegar to cover 3/4 of cabbage and lower heat to simmer. Cover but allow to vent as needed. If using bay leaves, add them here.
10. Simmer for 2-3 hours until cabbage is firm at the stalk but soft elsewhere. Stir as needed to prevent sticking. If used bay leaves, remember to remove them before serving (or warn your guests).
11. Serving: Serve warm. Do not drain the liquid. Use a spoon and make sure there is some "juice" drizzled over the cabbage.
12. Hint: Refrigerate any left over Rotkohl and reheat another day. Or, serve it cold - great as a slaw or on a sandwich. You can also can it and store in a dark place for up to 6 months. Whenever saving rotkohl, keep it as "submerged" in the "juice" as possible.

From the Dahoam1516 recipe collection · Hans Diehl