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    Home » Recipes » Christmas Sides

    My Mum's Braised Red Cabbage with Bacon

    December 17, 2019 By Sara McCleary Updated September 22, 2021 - This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe

    The best braised red cabbage recipe you will come across. Different from traditional German red cabbage as it includes bacon. Could this be the best German red cabbage recipe ever?

    A dish that holds a special place in my heart, and stomach. My mother would traditionally make this ever Christmas, and Christmas wouldn’t be the same without it.

    Served with roast turkey and baked vegetables. It is one of the highlights of our Christmas Eve dinner. The other highlight, of course, is Piragi (Latvian bacon buns).

    I would class Mum’s braised red cabbage more French style than German. Due to the omission of apple and the addition of bacon. Also, her cooking style was based on French fundamentals.

    red cabbage in a bowl ready to be served
    What's in this post
    • Ingredients
    • Recipe Walk Through
    • Handling Leftovers
    • Printable Recipe
    • More Christmas Sides

    Ingredients

    With the use of caraway, clove, and vinegar, they give this recipe a mild sauerkraut feel! A good splash of red wine rounds out the robust and full flavours of this braised red cabbage beautifully.

    • Bacon: Buy whole rashers of bacon. It's Christmas, leave the lean short cut bacon (Canadian bacon) at the butcher/supermarket.
    • Onion: Use brown onions.
    • Brown Sugar: Not only adds sweetness, but it also adds a lovely caramel note.
    • Salt: Flavour enhancer.
    • White Wine Vinegar: Gives it a sauerkraut vibe and touch of acidity.
    • Powdered Cloves: You don't use much, it really adds to the flavour profile, and you do miss it if it isn't added. Trust me, I know.
    • Sugar: Purely for flavour balance.
    • Red Cabbage: You can use either fresh or canned red cabbage for this recipe. The result will be different, but both just as delicious. I often use fresh these days as canned/tinned can be hard to find. I do prefer using canned or tinned, I think due to the nostalgia.
    • Red Wine: If you need to leave the red wine due to religious or other reasons, substitute with a non-alcoholic one or water. The alcohol will have cooked out by the time you serve it.
    • Caraway Seeds: Like the powdered clove, as far as I am concerned they can't be left out. Of course if you don't like caraway, feel free to do so.
    close up of red cabbage in a serving bowl to show texture

    Recipe Walk Through

    This is a very easy recipe, but Slow and steady wins the race. You want to braise the red cabbage slowly. It needs to be tender and have had time for the flavours to develop.

    • In a heavy based pot (with lid) fry bacon over medium heat until the fat runs. Add onions and cook until they have softened, not browned (about 5 minutes). 
    • Stir in remaining ingredients, except the caraway seeds, and cook covered for 30 minutes, giving it a stir now and then. 
    • Season to taste and add caraway seeds if desired – trust me it is desired

    Handling Leftovers

    The beauty of this dish is that the braised red cabbage can be frozen. It freezes very well. Simply defrost, reheat and serve. It will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days too.

    somebody holding spoons and lifting the cooked cabbage out of a bowl to serve

    Where Mum’s recipe originated, I have no clue. Sadly I can no longer ask her. It really is all a guessing game now, but it is a dish I remember her making from my first Christmas memories. A family traditional red cabbage, a Christmas staple.

    I hope that one of my all time favourite Christmas side dishes becomes yours too.

    Sara xxx

    If you do end up making this very close to my heart recipe, then please let me know!  You can find me on Instagram and Twitter. 

    Printable Recipe

    braised red cabbage in a bowl, on a plate with two spoons at the side

    Red Cabbage

    Recipe Author: Sara McCleary
    The best braised red cabbage recipe you will come across. Different to traditional German red cabbage as it includes bacon. Could this be the best German red cabbage recipe ever?
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Christmas, Side
    Cuisine Latvian
    Servings 10
    Calories 69 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 2 rashes bacon finely diced
    • 1 onion Large, finely diced
    • 50 grams (¼ cup) brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 60 ml (¼ cup) white wine vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) powered cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) sugar
    • 1 kilogram red cabbage 2 x 500 gram cans
    • 125 ml (½ cup) red wine
    • ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds

    Instructions
     

    • In a heavy based pot fry bacon over medium heat until the fat runs. Add onions and cook until they have softened, but not browned (about 5 minutes). 
    • Stir in remaining ingredients, except the caraway seeds, and cook covered for 30 minutes, giving it a stir now and then. 
    • Season to taste and add caraway seeds if desired - trust me it is desired.

    Oven Temperatures

    All oven temperatures are fan forced.

    Measurement Notes

    All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.

    Recipe Notes

    Bacon: Buy whole rashers of bacon. It’s Christmas, leave the lean short cut bacon (Canadian bacon) at the butcher/supermarket.
    Red Cabbage: You can use either fresh or canned red cabbage for this recipe. The result will be different, but both just as delicious. I often use fresh these days as canned/tinned can be hard to find. I do prefer using canned or tinned, I think due to the nostalgia.
    Red Wine: If you need to leave the red wine due to religious or other reasons, substitute with a non-alcoholic one or water. The alcohol will have cooked out by the time you serve it.
    GENERAL COOK’S NOTES
    All oven temperatures are for a conventional oven, if using fan forced lower the temperature by 20 Deg C (70 Deg F).
    All measurements are Australian tablespoons and cups. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified;
    • 1 teaspoon equals 5ml
    • 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml (Nth America, NZ & UK use 15ml tablespoons)
    • 1 cup equals 250ml (Nth America use 237ml)
    • 4 teaspoons equals 1 tablespoon
    • I use the below unless specified in my recipes;
    Herbs are fresh | Vegetables are of a medium size | Eggs are roughly 60 grams in weight (large).

    NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

    The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.

    Calories: 69kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 264mgPotassium: 282mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1116IUVitamin C: 58mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 1mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?I do a happy dance when people share how they went. Tag me on Instagram @bellyrumbles & #bellyrumbles

    More Christmas Sides

    There are a lot of Christmas recipes like Christmas cakes and Christmas dinner recipes to be discovered on Belly Rumbles. Plus lots of Christmas side dishes including the ones below.

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      Top Tips for Crispy Hasselback Potatoes
    • Petits Pois a la Francaise, French Peas
      Petits Pois a la Francaise, French Peas
    • baked stuffed onions recipe
      Baked Stuffed Onions with Parmesan Cream
    • Hasselback pumpkin with browned butter pine nuts and sage on a serving plate
      Easy Hasselback Butternut Squash Pumpkin Recipe
    Pinterest pin of red cabbage in a bowl
    « Kyoto Apartment Hotel Mimaru Nishinotoin Takatsuji
    Zesty Chicken Quinoa Salad »

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Miriam

      December 29, 2024 at 5:42 am

      5 stars
      I’ve been searching for a recipe similar to what my grandmother used to make - this is perfect!! So delicious, thank you for the wonderful recipe and memories 🙂

      Reply
      • Sara McCleary

        February 18, 2025 at 1:12 pm

        Hi Miriam
        I'm so happy that you discovered my mum's recipe and that it is similar to what your grandmother used to make. Certain foods and recipes can have such a sentimental attachment to us.
        Cheers, Sara

    2. Sea

      December 26, 2019 at 8:13 pm

      5 stars
      I love the color thank Sara

      Reply

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