Braised Red Cabbage
SERVES: 4 TO 6
PRESSURE LEVEL: HIGH
RELEASE: QUICK
TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 45 MINUTES
TIME UNDER PRESSURE: 10 MINUTES
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Braising humble cabbage transforms it by bringing out its sweet flavor and giving it a silky texture. Sweet-and-sour braised red cabbage is a classic German side that has a bright flavor ideal for pairing with rich, meaty entrées. Since braising it in a Dutch oven can take longer than a main course to cook, we used our pressure cooker to turn it into a quick, more convenient side. Sautéing bacon and onion in the pot first built up some flavorful fond that we could incorporate into the braising liquid. Juniper and allspice lent traditional warm-spice flavor and aroma (just make sure not to eat the juniper berries in the final dish). For the sweet component, brown sugar was a good start. Cider vinegar seemed like the right choice for the sour, but when we added it to the braising liquid (we opted for chicken broth) prior to cooking its flavor got washed out. Instead, we added 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar to the pot after the cabbage was cooked for a fresher hit of flavor. And a surprising ingredient, a Granny Smith apple, actually lent both sweet and tart flavors to the cabbage, and by chopping it into ¼-inch pieces and cooking it under pressure, the apple melted into the cabbage. After 10 minutes under pressure, we found the cabbage needed about 10 more minutes of simmering, uncovered, so that the braising liquid could reduce. Adding a little more sugar along with cider vinegar at the end brought the sweet-and-sour flavor to the fore. See the Test Kitchen Tip and Troubleshooting that follows the recipe.
INGREDIENTS
|
2 |
slices bacon, chopped fine |
|
1 |
onion, chopped medium |
|
5 |
juniper berries (optional) |
|
¼ |
teaspoon ground allspice |
|
1½ |
teaspoons minced fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried |
|
2 |
bay leaves |
|
1 |
head red cabbage (2 pounds), cored and sliced ¼ inch thick |
|
1 |
Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped |
|
½ |
cup low-sodium chicken broth |
|
1 |
tablespoon brown sugar, plus extra as needed |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
|
1 |
tablespoon cider vinegar |
1. BUILD FLAVOR: Cook bacon and onion in pressure-cooker pot over medium heat until bacon is crisp and onion is browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in juniper berries (if using), allspice, thyme, and bay leaves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cabbage, apple, broth, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt.
2. HIGH PRESSURE FOR 10 MINUTES: Lock pressure-cooker lid in place and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as pot reaches high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.
3. QUICK RELEASE PRESSURE: Remove pot from heat. Quick release pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
4. BEFORE SERVING: Continue to cook cabbage over medium heat, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with salt, pepper, and extra sugar to taste. Serve.