Have you ever noticed that Thanksgiving menus frequently feature a whole lot of brown and beige food? Turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes topped with pecans and brown sugar, casseroles, and so on make for a monotone menu. I’m all for those holiday dishes, but I like to highlight the table with some color.
Even in the midst of engorging on the holiday feast, I still crave some healthy stuff in the mix. I put the “eat the rainbow” adage into practice even through the holidays. Not only are colorful foods nutritious and healthful, but they’re also beautiful and add contrast to an otherwise colorless table palette.
This side dish of braised red cabbage with apples makes a wonderful addition to a holiday meal. Cabbage sometimes gets a bad rap, but this version doctored up with bacon, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar more than makes up for the slightly less than pleasant aroma while it’s cooking. Add some color to your holiday meals with this delicious side dish.
Ingredients
3 strips bacon, chopped
1 medium red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 large head red cabbage, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, plus additional for garnish
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup apple juice
Instructions
1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, brown bacon over medium high heat. Add onions and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
2. Add cabbage, apples, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, thyme, chicken stock, and apple juice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh thyme leaves.
https://southernboydishes.com/2014/12/12/braised-red-cabbage-with-apples/You may also like:
- Roasted Cauliflower and Fennel Soup - November 8, 2015
- Smoky and Sweet Turkey Chili{+ a Cookbook Giveaway} - October 27, 2015
- Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Stew with Turkey Sausage - October 16, 2015
What a beautiful dish! I love the combination of cabbage and apples but have never made it with red cabbage. What a great little dish and yes, it would definitely liven up any holiday table. So very festive!
Red cabbage and apples is one of those magical combos, particularly when you throw bacon in the mix. This looks terrific — thanks.
The German in me is lusting for this. I absolutely adore red cabbage, and this recipe is pretty close to how I make mine. Beautiful presentation.
Thank you, Debby. I’m with you red cabbage. I absolutely love it!
This side dish is just absolutely fantastic!