Czech Braised Red Cabbage

Whether served with roast pork or duck, braised red cabbage is a staple of Czech cuisine. In this recipe, you will learn how to cook sweet and sour red cabbage just like Bohemian grannies used to make it.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Czech

Keyword Cabbage recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 45

Servings

Calories 177kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Ingredients

1 head red cabbage
3 medium onions
2 Tablespoons pork lard (or canola / suflower oil)
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup vinegar 5% acidity
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Halve 1 head red cabbage and cut out the tough stem from both halves. Remove the wilted top layer of cabbage leaves. Slice or grate the prepared cabbage.
Peel and finely chop 3 medium onions. In a large enough saucepan, heat 2 Tablespoons pork lard and fry the onions until they are light brown.
Move the onions to the side of the saucepan, sliding the pot if possible, so that the onion part is away from the heat source.
Put ½ cup granulated sugar on the free surface of the saucepan and let it melt. If necessary, increase the heat to speed up the caramelization of the sugar.
Once the sugar starts to turn golden, add the chopped cabbage and mix everything together. Don't be alarmed if the sugar forms hard lumps; it will dissolve as the cabbage stews.
Now season the cabbage with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, and pour in ½ cup vinegar. Stir well, then turn down the heat. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes.
Remove the lid, raise the heat to medium, and allow any liquid that the cabbage has released to evaporate. Stir occasionally. Once the liquid has evaporated and the cabbage starts to fry and stick to the bottom of the pot, you are done!

Notes

SERVING: Serve the braised red cabbage warm as a side dish with roasted meat such as pork, goose, or duck. Potato dumplings or bread dumplings make a suitable additional side dish.
The cabbage in this recipe doesn't need to be thickened, either with a floury roux or with grated potatoes.
One medium head of cabbage is enough for about six servings of braised cabbage when served as a side dish.

Nutrition