Ingredients:
- 1 medium head red cabbage, shredded (approx. 3 lbs / 1.36 kg)
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (approx. 12 oz / 340 g)
- 1 medium onion, finely diced (approx. 4 oz / 113 g)
- ¾ cup (177 ml) apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup (118 ml) dry red wine
- ⅓ cup (67 ml) brown sugar
- ½ cup (118 ml) water
- 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter
- 4 whole cloves, slightly crushed
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- ½ tsp (2 g) black pepper
- ¼ tsp (1 g) ground cloves
Instructions:
- Sauté the onion. Melt the butter over medium heat in your Dutch oven. Add the diced onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
- Wilt the cabbage. Stir in the shredded red cabbage. Toss frequently for about 5-7 minutes until the cabbage begins to wilt and is evenly coated in butter.
- Add aromatics. Stir in the diced apples, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and ground cloves. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the sugar bubbles and the apples soften slightly.
- Deglaze the pot. Pour in the apple cider vinegar and dry red wine. Stir well, scraping up any browned sugar bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add liquid. Pour in the water and add the whole crushed cloves.
- The braise. Reduce heat to low. Cover with the lid and simmer for 45-60 minutes.
- Check consistency. Remove the lid. If the sauce looks too thin, simmer uncovered for the last 10 minutes until the liquid reduces to a glossy glaze.
- Final touch. The cabbage should have a deep mahogany hue and a velvety consistency. Remove the whole cloves before serving.