4 ounces of bacon, 5-6 slices, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
olive or vegetable oil, if needed
1 cup of chopped onion
2 pounds of red cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced
1 medium apple, cored, quartered, and sliced (about 1 cup of slices)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Note on shredding cabbage – you can use a box grater or food processor to shred the cabbage, or (my preferred method) cut it into quarters and thinly slice each quarter crosswise with a sharp knife.
- Place the bacon bits in a Dutch oven over medium heat and fry until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel to drain.
- Pour the bacon fat into a small bowl and wipe out the Dutch oven. Measure two tablespoons of bacon fat and add to the pan, adding olive oil if necessary. Add the chopped onions and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add the cabbage – you may have to do this in batches, covering the pan in between to wilt the cabbage down to make room. Season with salt and pepper, stir well, and cook covered for about 5 minutes.
- Add the apple, brown sugar, water, and cider vinegar, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat and braise the cabbage for about 20 minutes, until very soft. Check at about 10 minutes to make sure it’s not getting too dry. Add a little water of necessary.
- When the cabbage is as tender as you like it, taste and check for salt. Sprinkle the bacon bits over and serve.
