Braised Red Cabbage With Caramelized Apples

3.5

(64)

This colorful sweet-tart side is a fall favorite.

How to Make Martha's Braised Red Cabbage with Caramelized Apples

4:39

Servings:

8

As Martha’s recipe for braised red cabbage with apples proves, braising is a wonderful way to cook all kinds of vegetables. It's a low-key method that produces deep flavor. First, wedges of apples and onion are cooked in butter and sugar until they are caramelized. Then the cabbage wedges are added and everything cooks in a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water. The acid in the vinegar helps the cabbage keep its bright color and balances the sweetness of the sugar in the dish. The end result is an sweet-tart vegetable side to serve with roast pork, chicken, or fish.

close up of braised red cabbage white dish — ROB TANNENBAUM

Directions

Melt butter, add sugar and salt, then apples and onion:

Melt butter in a medium stockpot or Dutch-oven (at least 11 inches in diameter) over medium-high heat. Add sugar and salt, and stir to dissolve. Add apples and onion, in as close to a single layer as possible. Turn to coat in butter mixture.
Cook:

Let cook, shaking pan occasionally and turning over once, until sugar is beginning to caramelize and coat the apples and onions, about 10 minutes.
Add cabbage, vinegar, and water, simmer:

Add cabbage, vinegar, and 3/4 cup water. Bring to just a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until cabbage is tender and liquid is reduced to a syrup, 25 to 30 minutes. If necessary, remove lid in the last 5 minutes and cook, uncovered, to reduce liquid to desired consistency; most of the apples will disintegrate.
Serve:

Transfer cabbage and apples to a bowl and serve immediately.