Braised Red Cabbage with Bacon & Apple – Hobbit Feast Side

Braised Red Cabbage with Bacon & Apple

“Can I have some bacon?” — Pippin

Sweet-tart braised red cabbage with bacon and apple brings bright color and cozy flavor to the table. It’s the sort of farmhouse pan you’d expect in any well-run Hobbit hole.

Hobbit Lore

Shire tables lean into pork, apples, and garden brassicas—comforting pairings that keep well and feed many. This dish nods to that thrifty, flavorful tradition.

Historic Note

Braised cabbage with vinegar appears across Northern Europe. The acid preserves color in red cabbage, yielding the jewel tone prized on winter tables from the medieval period onward.

In the Kitchen

• Color science: Vinegar lowers pH, fixing red cabbage’s vibrant hue.
• Texture: Slice cabbage evenly; simmer gently to keep strands silky, not mushy.
• Make-ahead: Improves after a rest and reheats beautifully.

Modern Recipe

Serves: 6–8 • Prep: 10 min • Cook: 35–40 min

Ingredients

• 2 strips bacon, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tart apple, peeled & chopped
• 1 head red cabbage, cored & shredded
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Salt & pepper
• Optional: handful of golden raisins

Method

1. Cook bacon until crisp; remove and reserve.
2. Sauté onion and apple in drippings until tender.
3. Add cabbage, water, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper (and raisins). Bring to a boil.
4. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir bacon back in for final 5 minutes.

Dietary Notes 🥕

• Vegetarian: Omit bacon; start with olive oil and a pinch of smoked paprika.
• Gluten-free: Naturally GF.

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More from this feast: A Shire Pie • Roasted Roots • Apple & Blackberry Tartlets • Hobbit Banquet Hub