German pink cabbage (Rotkohl) is a straightforward aspect dish that goes nicely with roasted meats. This conventional braised pink cabbage recipe with apples tastes deliciously candy and tangy. It requires solely 5 minutes of prep time.
Rotkohl is likely one of the most well-known and fashionable German aspect dishes. I grew up in Hamburg, which suggests I’ve eaten (and love) it in all its variations.
My Mama at all times served pink cabbage with meat dishes resembling roast pork or beef roll-ups (Rouladen) on Sundays. And naturally, it’s a should on the vacation desk alongside the Christmas goose.
The gently sweet-sour taste and the fragrant spices of this German pink cabbage recipe remind me of my childhood. To me, Rotkohl is wintery, great consolation meals and I am unable to wait to share with you my genuine AND sugar free model.
Bounce to:
Why This Recipe Works
Easy and hands-off. Rotkohl is a straightforward aspect dish that simmers away on the range whilst you take care of the roast meat within the oven.
Household-friendly and budget-friendly. Crimson cabbage is reasonable to purchase and it feeds a crowd.
Nice for meal prep. Put together this dish a day or two forward and easily reheat it earlier than serving. You’ll be able to even freeze it.
Components
Listed below are the substances you may want for braised pink cabbage:
Crimson cabbage – You will want a medium cabbage head. Finely shredded, ideally with a mandoline.
Apples – I used small pink apples. You will must core them, however there isn’t any must peel them. German recipes by no means advocate a specific kind of apple for the recipe. I’ve used Braeburn, Gala and even Granny Smith.
Broth – I used vegetable broth to reinforce the flavour. Inventory cubes are positive.
Apple Cider Vinegar – Important! This places the German into the German pink cabbage. It offers the dish the tangy sourness that enhances roasted meat so nicely.
Sweetener – Equally essential because it balances the sourness of the vinegar. Conventional Rotkohl recipes name for white sugar, however my sugar substitute of selection here’s a golden erythritol monk fruit mix. It has the identical caramel notes of brown sugar. Nevertheless, any sugar substitute of your selection is ok. If carbs will not be a priority, use coconut sugar or honey.
Seasoning: Bay leaves, cinnamon, star anise, sea salt.
See the recipe card for full info on substances and portions.
Directions
Let’s make a correct German braised pink cabbage recipe. It is simply 3 easy steps.
STEP 1
Shred the cabbage finely. I take away the outer leaves of the cabbage and lower it into quarters. Then, I lower out the stalk as this cabbage half tends to be onerous. The quarters could be simply dealt with and sliced on the mandoline.
If you do not have a mandoline, slice the cabbage very finely with a pointy knife.
STEP 2
Add all of the substances apart from the apples to a big saucepan. Placed on a lid and produce to a boil over medium warmth. Then, cut back the warmth to low and simmer till comfortable.
STEP 3
Add the apples and stir. Proceed to braise the combination to permit them to melt as nicely. Style and regulate seasoning if required.
Katrin’s Skilled Ideas
Use a glove. Significantly! Should you lower the cabbage with a mandoline, a kitchen glove is crucial. Mandolines are tremendous sharp and you do not wish to lower your fingers.
Simmer on low warmth. You do not wish to let all of the liquid evaporate till the dish is completed. Verify and add a bit additional broth if required in direction of the top of cooking.
Apple slices dimension. I sliced the apples as an alternative of cubing them. This manner, the individuals in my household who watch their sugar ranges can omit them in the event that they select. In conventional German recipes, the apples are chopped finely and most definitely you will not even see them.
Variations
Listed below are some concepts on how one can tweak Rotkraut:
Juniper berries – These berries are a preferred ingredient in German recipes. They’ve an fragrant taste that’s each fruity and peppery. Add ½ teaspoon firstly of cooking. Should you use juniper berries, you may omit the star anise.
Cloves – You should use both 2 cloves, which you take away after cooking, or add a pinch of floor cloves. Cloves have a powerful, pungent taste and I do not at all times really feel like including them. Nevertheless, they do go very nicely with pink cabbage.
Onions: Yellow onions or shallots style nice in pink cabbage. Finely cube one onion and fry it in a bit oil over low warmth till it’s translucent and comfortable. This takes about 10 minutes. Then, proceed with the recipe.
Jelly or jam: That is one other fashionable addition to German pink cabbage. My Oma at all times added a tablespoon of pink currant jam to her Rotkohl. I generally add a spoonful of sugar free cranberry sauce to extend the fruitiness.
Apple cider or apple juice: Conventional recipes typically add apple cider or apple juice to Rotkohl. We’re reaching the identical stability of candy and bitter with the mix of apple cider vinegar and sweetener.
Recipe FAQs
Braised pink cabbage must be comfortable, however not mushy. Some individuals like their Rotkohl with extra texture than others. Nevertheless, it ought to by no means be crunchy or style like slaw.
Sure. You’ll be able to miss the apples to decrease the sugar content material of the Rotkohl. By omitting the apple the web carbs cut back from 9g to five.5 grams per serving.
Apple cider vinegar is milder than white wine vinegar or some other vinegar. If you wish to one other vinegar, you might want to make use of much less.
Serving Recommendations
German pink cabbage is the proper pairing for meat dishes:
- Beef – German Rouladen or beef roll-ups are historically served with Rotkohl and potatoes or Knoedel (potato dumplings). Sliced roast beef additionally tastes good with it.
- Pork – Roasted pork pairs nicely with pink cabbage.
- Venison – Venison ragout is a basic German dish that’s eaten with Spätzle, cranberry sauce and pink cabbage.
- Duck – Is commonly served with orange sauce and pink cabbage.
- Goose – That is the last word festive meal. We at all times ate goose on Christmas Day at residence, with pink cabbage, inexperienced cabbage and all the opposite trimmings. I now make turkey as an alternative, however Rotkohl is at all times one of many sides!
- Hen, Fish or Sausages – These will not be historically served with Rotkohl in Germany. A conventional aspect for sausages is Sauerkraut, though rustic sausages do style nice with pink cabbage as nicely.
Storage and Meal Prep
Meal prep: As talked about above, German pink cabbage could be ready 1-2 days forward. Then, gently reheat it on the stovetop or within the microwave simply earlier than serving.
Storage: Retailer this dish in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Or, freeze it for as much as 3 months.
Scaling the recipe: You’ll be able to simply double or triple the recipe. Simply use a bigger, heavy-bottomed pot. The cooking time stays the identical.
Enjoyable Truth
Braised pink cabbage is named Rotkohl in Northern Germany and in Southern Germany, it’s referred to as Blaukraut. “Blau” means blue in German (and “kraut” is, after all, the brief type of Sauerkraut).
So, why was the pink cabbage blue in Bavaria?
The rationale for the color distinction was the soil the cabbage was grown in. Earlier than the appearance of contemporary farming, the North German soil was extra bitter. This turned the cabbage pink somewhat than the blue color it had within the south.
You’ll be able to emulate the identical course of at residence. Should you add extra vinegar to the cabbage, it’ll go redder. Should you add extra sugar and a pinch of baking soda, it turns into blue.
Extra Recipes Like This
Recipes With Cabbage
German Recipes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star ranking beneath!
★ STAY IN TOUCH on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM for extra nice meals and be a part of my NEWSLETTER for the most recent updates and a FREE EBOOK.★
Recipe
German Crimson Cabbage Recipe
from Sugar Free Londoner
With solely 5 minutes of prep time, German pink cabbage (Rotkohl) is a straightforward aspect dish that principally cooks itself! This genuine braised pink cabbage recipe with apples tastes candy and tangy. Serve it with roasted meats. Might be ready 1-2 days upfront.
Word: The servings slider solely adjustments the primary quantity in every line and never any subsequent quantities. Please make your individual calculations the place obligatory.
Directions
-
Prep the cabbage: Take away the outer leaves of the cabbage and lower it into quarters. Then, lower out the stem on the backside. Shred the cabbage finely with a mandoline. Or, slice the cabbage very finely with a pointy knife.
-
Add all of the substances apart from the apples to a big saucepan. Placed on a lid and produce to a boil over medium warmth. Then, cut back the warmth to low and simmer for half-hour.
-
Core the apples, then slice or chop them. Fold the apples into the pink cabbage. Braise for an additional quarter-hour over low warmth or till all liquid has evaporated and each the cabbage and the apples are comfortable.
-
Modify the seasoning to style and serve.
Notes
5.5g web carbs per serving with out the apples.
Retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Appropriate for freezing (as much as 3 months within the freezer).
Vitamin
Energy: 50kcalWhole Carbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1.5gFats: 0.2gFiber: 3gSugar: 7.1g
