Sweet & Simple Braised Red Cabbage (Dutch Oven)

side view of simple dutch oven braised cabbage in blue and white serving bowl with silver serving spoon and blue white napkin with red apple and red cabbage in background

4.93 from 14 votes

Sweet & Simple Braised Red Cabbage (Dutch Oven)

This is an amazing tasting and easy to make hot side dish for a holiday feast or just a special dinner. It's so worth the time. It makes about 3 cups of braised cabbage and may be refrigerated and reheated for about 5 days.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 45

Total Time1 55

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: European, German/American

Keyword: Cabbage, gluten free, hot side dish, Kid Friendly, vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 186kcal

Author: Katia

Equipment

Dutch Oven

Ingredients

2-2.5 lb red cabbage finely shredded (1 small head or 1/2 a large head)
1 large tart apple cored and quartered (I normally use a gala or pink lady which is slightly tart, yet juicy)
1/2 cup unsalted sweet cream butter 1 stick
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 sticks cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
drizzle lemon juice optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure you have oven racks placed with enough room to fit your pot or oven dish.
Heat dutch oven or oven safe casserole dish on medium low.
Once warm add butter, brown sugar and vinegar; stir till sugar is dissolved.
Then add apples, cinnamon sticks and remaining spices; cloves, salt and pepper.
Add shredded cabbage to the pot and stir to combine.
Grab a large sheet of parchment paper, enough to crumble a bit and cover your pot. fully wet it and crumble it, place it covering the cabbage as shown in the collage above.
Place pot with cabbage into the oven for 1 hr 30 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes. Also, dampen the parchment paper each time you stir and replace atop the cabbage.
Remove paper and braise another 15 minutes for extra caramelization. (If you're out of time, the initial 1.5 hrs is just fine and just as delicious)
Serve immediately or keep warm till ready to serve. I like to add a little squeeze of lemon juice just before serving as well.

Notes

This recipe makes about 3 cups of braised red cabbage.

Nutrition