Grandma Jeanette's Amazing German Red Cabbage

I recently went to dinner at my extended family's home and they served up this dish. It was absolutely fantastic! Admittedly, I enjoy cabbage. Admittedly, I am not big on cloves. But, put together and is terribly tasty. After I found out the recipe was from here I immediately looked it up and was surprised by what little feedback there was. I must say I probably would have skipped this recipe over with so few people having tried it. How great that I was able to have an opportunity to try this keeper of a recipe. It is on my stove as we speak (really) and I am going to cook it just as directed for the full 2 hours. I know first hand it is worth it. I wouldn't change a thing!

This is seriously good food and very easy to prepare (can't imagine that it would take anyone 20 minutes to prep - more like five)! Taking the advice of other reviewers, I reduced the sugar by one tablespoon and used only one teaspoon of kosher salt. I was probably a tablespoon shy of 1/3 cup on the vinegar, too. Had no ground cloves, so threw 3-4 whole cloves in. The result was addictive! Didn't want to quit eating it! I was skeptical of the extended cooking time, but having tried it after about 45 minutes, there's no question it is much better later. The apple (I peeled mine) basically disappeared during the cooking process, so next time I might just use applesauce to make the prep even faster. This makes a great side dish for turkey, as a less-sweet substitute for cranberry sauce. I added cold leftovers of it to a turkey sandwich - yum! It would also be delicious served with roast chicken or duck, grilled or steamed bratwurst, kielbasa, baked ham. Recommend doubling the recipe. Leftovers can be used cold on turkey or ham sandwiches and take well to reheating.

I made this for Christmas Eve dinner because my husband and grandmother wanted it. Growing up I disliked sweet/sour cabbage, and how it smells while cooking , but after tasting - I am a convert! The only addition I made was to add one diced onion. Many other family members who don't eat cabbage loved it too. We ended up with an empty bowl and I doubled the recipe!

This recipe was amazing! I made it for an Oktoberfest inspired b-day party. It smelled awful while it was cooking so I was a little nervous but the results were well worth the smell. The only problem I had was I wish I had made more :)

This is really good. For the first time, I made it as written except I followed the advice of other reviewers and reduced the amount of sugar and added garlic. Couldn't stop eating. It's so good and appetising!! Now I make my own variations. I used EVOO instead of butter. I added mustard seeds and I also lightly crush the black peppercorns. I like to bite on them! I added onions too. I tripled the recipe, threw all into the slow cooker and cooked on high for 4 hours. I'd put them in jars and refrigerate them. Used them like pickles or relish for burgers/sandwiches. I served them whenever I serve roasts or fried meats. It gives a sharp refreshing contrast of taste and flavour. I even put a small amount on small squares of toasts and ham, topped with a dot of mustard. Served them as tapas with a big icy jug of sangria. It was very popular. I've even had it for breakfast with fried eggs and bacon.

"Dump all ingredients in pot and cook." Doesn't get any easier. The result captures the mild sweetness of the cabbage perfectly, the ingredients all enhance the flavor without competing.

I used to get this same red cabbage at alittle resturant inside a cattle sells barn in west , tx. (same town they have the world famous westfest) I have looked everwhere for it and now my life is complete,I did add 1tsp. of carraway seeds to give it a little rye bread flavor

I've never had this before, but I made it today for a German themed dinner. It is AMAZING! The only thing I did was add a chopped onion, and I put a little more clove in it (because I LOVE clove and thought it would be great with this). Another lady brought a different version of this and put Caraway seed in hers. It may be good in this recipe for something different. :) Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe!!

My children enjoy this dish, of course it makes this recipe a keeper.

This is a fantastic recipe for a slow-cooker. I dump everything in the cooker, turn it on low for 5-6 hours and go. I don't change a thing. When something is this good, leave it alone!

We LOVED this dish. I was looking for an authentic recipe after having cabbage served this way at a German restaurant. The combination of the butter, vinegar and sugar make the dish great. I followed the recipe and the cooking time which seemed long but it really needed the hour to cook. I didn't have cloves but used a dash of cinnamon instead. I read that cinnamon or allspice can be used as a substitute for cloves.

I have been using this recipe for years. I cut back on sugar a little. Add just a touch of beer when cooking.I serve whenever I make perogies. My family loves it.

Delicious! Didn't know red cabbage could taste so good. I will cut the sugar by half next time and perhaps use an additional apple to make it a bit healthier.

I love this so much, it could easily be my favorite red cabbage recipe. Perfect as written, no substitutions, no additions! Even better the next day.

I'll be honest, this sounded horrible to me. But I had an entire red cabbage from a CSA to use and thought why not. And I'm glad I did. This was great. Even my girlfriend was cringing until she tried it. Within days, she was making it at her house.

I made this and it was tasty. I did sub caraway for the cloves, my personal preference. Although my children did not appreciate the smell while it was cooking!

A fantastic recipe. I made it to a T, except for using only 3 tablespoons sugar, less salt, and using red wine vinegar because I didn't have apple cider vinegar. Wonderful!

I cook a German dinner once a month for 45 people at an upscale living center. I use this recipe each time. It is fantastic. I have to make more each month, because they like it so much. Who would ever think red cabbage could taste so good? Thanks for sharing.

Ok this is so close to tasting like the red cabbage at our friend's father's german restaurant that I was super happy I found one that made me go "Mmmm" with every bite like his. Thanks a bunch and this goes into my recipe box for sure.

This is a good recipe, but for us, needs a little tweaking. It had W-A-Y too much salt and just a little too much sugar (maybe personal taste preferences). I'd start with 1/2 tsp salt, cut the sugar in half the next time and then adjust those ingredients as necessary. At least for us, I think that will give us the correct balance of sweet-sour-savory that we're looking for. I chopped the apple, and liked the way it cooked down and incorporated itself into the red cabbage. I've tried a number of red cabbage recipes on this site, and I must say that this one is right there at the top of my list.

I made Sauerbraten for the first time and decided to use this recipe for a side, along with Speatzle. I invited a friend who is from Germany over to critique my efforts. This recipe was a hit, very delicious and perfect with the Sauerbraten. My German friend was very complimentary of its taste, everyone loved it. My daughter in law had never eaten a cabbage prepared this way and was amazed at how tasty it was. I will make this again, and at my friends suggestion I will add some caramelized onion, but otherwise it was great just as is.

I had this huge head of red cabbage and tried the recipe , OMG. I love all the flavors. So when it was all gone. I used up the rest of the cabbage, doubled the amount except I only used 1/2 the butter. ( watching my calories). I could not tell the difference . I then froze individual servings. I pulled some out for dinner last night and it was amazing. I will be making again and again. Great side dish!

We had this with a geman themed dinner and about half the kiddies liked it. I enjoyed it although I might reduce the sugar a bit next time.

Loved it! I will make it again and again. We just returned from Bavaria and I had a craving for red cabbage. Well my craving was satisfied. It was easy and yummy! And for those who are not clove lovers. You can barely taste the clove. It really just enhances the flavors.

My husband wanted traditional sauerbraten with a side of German red cabbage. In the past I've bought this in the jar, not realizing how simple it was to make from scratch. Since our rural grocer did not stock the jarred German red cabbage, I was rescued by this recipe. I did add an extra apple. I assume the apples were to be peeled and did so. The apples cooked up as expected adding just the right something to the cabbage. We both thought this was delicious. No more jars for us. This was perfect with the Traditional Sauerbraten found on this site.

a taste that took me back to my german roots...absolutely delicious...did add onions...and cooked a little longer...amy have been my stove..we know how that goes...cooked fro another hour...smell was fantastic...cloves were intoxicating...ty granndma jeanette

This was very tasty I would not change a thing. I think it is my very way to eat cabbage.

I will never buy red cabbage again! This recipe is not only easy but delicious .

My Great Grandma from Germany made this every holiday. I fry up 4 strips of bacon and use the grease instead of butter to cook the cabbage, apple and spices in. Then I crumble the bacon and sprinkle it on top in the serving dish. I also use 4-5 whole cloves and 4-5 black pepper corns instead of the ground cloves and pepper. My whole house smells like childhood right now as it is cooking...love it!

It was a hot day and I had been asked to bring my red cabbage recipe for a pork lunch. I have a good recipe which I usually use but looked online for one I didn't have to cook in the oven. I found this and tried it and it got the seal of approval. My man said "Whatever you have been doing with your red cabbage, do this instead". So yes a good recipe. PS 1 cup of cabbage is 100gm

This is almost exactly the same recipe given to me by by German mother in law years ago.. Only difference is instead of butter, she cuts small pieces of bacon and the bacon fat is the oli.. I made this recipe, but can't get away from the bacon.. This is one of my favorite side dishes and is often requested by many of my friends..

I made this exactly as written and thought it was amazing. Even DH, who usually inhales, then asks for seconds, stopped a moment to comment on how good it was! A perfect blend of sweetness and tartness, this will go into my regular rotation.

This was delicious, even though I somehow managed to burn the cabbage. After only 1 hour of simmering on low heat, the bottom of my pot was completely burned, along with a lot of the cabbage. If anyone has any suggestions about what could have caused this, please let me know. The recipe says to add only 3 tablespoons of water, but maybe more is needed. The unburned part of the cabbage was delicious! This is a wonderful dish, and I plan to make it again.

easy and yummy--hubby was suspicious but after one bite was a huge fan, and my toddler daughter loved it! I made one substitution---used dark brown sugar instead of white sugar. Also, I cooked in the crockpot on low for 6 hours...this will be a Winter staple in our house- thanks!

THis was awesome and everyone loved it. made it for my oktoberfest girls nite and served with sauerbraten and german potato salad...yum! thanks for sharing!!!

I made this for an Oktoberfest party/potluck and everyone loved it. The only thing I changed was cooking the cabbage in a crockpot on high for about 4 hours so I didn't have to sit with it. This also made serving easy because it could be taken straight from the crockpot on warm setting.

Just like my mother in-laws cabbage that she makes in north Germany :-)

Just like my grandmother used to make....I remember her making this when I was a young girl. She died before I learned to cook and didn't have the time for her to teach me. My husband and I both had German grandmothers and this recipe is absolutely the best!! Thank you for sharing!

Delicious. I was generous with the butter and cabbage, didn't have the apples, and otherwise followed the recipe.

This has become my go to staple for the New Year. I use a large head about five times the recipe and keep it in the fridge for easy side dish or to quell a late night sweet tooth urge! I replace the sugar with stevia and honey making it healthier and less calories. I also cut the salt, personal preference. I have also used too ripe to eat pears for the apples and it was just as good. Love this low cost, low cal high fiber nutritious side dush

I thought this was very good and I will certainly make it again. I think I might add more apples. While it was tasty, and my husband enjoyed it (while admitting he doesn't usually care for cabbage), it didn't quite live up to the reviews, in my opinion. I may also have been judging it against the red cabbage at a local restaurant, which is truly addictive.

A smidge less sugar, a little more apple.

Recently had this dish at a wedding so I came home and searched out this recipe. It was SUPER tasty and complimented the wiener schnitzel I made really well. I received MANY compliments!

This recipe is SO GOOD! Almost better than how delicious it is is the fact that it's super easy to prepare. Definitely recommend cooking for the full two hours, also I added one chopped onion. I will be making this again...and again and again!

YUM, YUM, YUM! I doubled the recipe and kept eating it as it was cooking. DELICIOUS! I don't usually make recipes as they are printed - have to do my own thing - but I did this one exactly as printed. I really could have kept eating it all!! But I restrained myself - with great difficulty. Maureen

I found this recipe here year's ago and our family has enjoyed it many many times. Perfect recipe. I DOUBLE the recipe using a bowling ball-sized head of cabbage and double every other ingredient. Perfect!

I found this recipe very salty, and after simmering for 1.5 hours, the cabbage was mush.

this was great, I have always wanted a recipe for Red Cabbage and now I have found one. My daughter and I truly enjoyed this recipe and this will definitely be a keeper. I reduced the sugar and this turned out great. Next time I will reduce the vinegar.

Although I'm a well-seasoned cook this was my first time cooking red cabbage. I read a lot of the recipes and settled on this one. I never changed it at all and it was perfect and amazing. Just enough of the sweet and tangy flavour to make my taste buds scream in delight.I love sauerkraut and this made a lovely change. I can't wait to make this again and I will be making it often. Thank you so much sarabug76

Made this for an Oktoberfest gathering. It was so easy and delicious. Everyone who had it asked for the recipe. I will never buy prepared red cabbage again.

Will cut the vinegar back the next time I double this recipe. A tad too tart, but still delicious!

Make this the day before! I didn't have ground cloves so threw in some whole ones. The clove flavor was very pronounced the first day but mellowed the next and was super tasty.

There is but one way to make red cabbage and this is it!

Great recipe, used applesauce for the apple, tasted great

I had been searching for a recipe for Red German Cabbage ever since my husband and I had some in a German restaurant in Pennsylvania many years ago. This recipe was very easy to prepare and hit a home run. I will reduce the salt a little bit next time. I didn't have any cloves so used allspice in place of it. Worked well.

I made this recipe for the first time tonight and it came out great. I had 3 heads of red cabbage so I had to adjust the seasonings. I used 3 teaspoons of salt I did not triple it. I used 1/2 tsp of ground clove instead of 3/4 tsp. I did triple the apple cider vinegar and sugar and 3/4 tsp of black pepper. I also used 2 cups of diced onions and I added about 1 cup of red wine. My wife approved of the finished product and said she would put it up against her mothers red cabbage anytime and her mother is bona fide German!

I thought this was good. Not too much vinegar. I did not put in all the sugar and salt, though. Only 2 TB sugar and 1 tsp salt.

Oh My Goodness, this is wonderful. I actually served it at room temperature. It was a perfect condiment to add to our ham dinner. It was wonderful tested whiile warm, terrific at room temperature and eaqually wonderful cold from the refrigerator. Will definiely make this again. I didn't change a thing in the recipe. SUPER!!!

Very tasty! I used caraway seeds instead of cloves. Next time I will cut back a tad on the sugar. Thanks for sharing, we enjoyed it very much.

This was really tasty but I needed to add more vinegar because it was a bit too bland at first. Thanks!

Totally screwed this recipe up the first time I made it as I had run out of ground cloves, had no whole ones and looked for caraway seeds to grind and didn't have those either. So I thought I would just use ground anise (Okay for anyone who thinks that might be a valid alternative...let me say I found it to be pretty darn awful). Made this a second time with ground cloves; what a huge difference! Next time I might increase the apple, lessen the sugar and possibly add a pinch of ground fennel as it would taste more like my grandma's. Thank you sarabug76 for sharing your grandmother's recipe.

I like my veggies cooked so they are soft and crunchy. You lose so much nutritional value by cooking too long. Cabbage has a lot of nutritional benefits. I cooked mine maybe 20 minutes so the cabbage was crunchy and the apples were soft. It turned out great! Next time I might use Bragg's Apple Cider vinegar with a more natural sweetener.

It's Octoberfest in Texas and German fare is definitely on the menu. This is authentic tasting! Served with weiner schnitzel, rouladen,wurst, and spatzle and (some beer)............and you can have your own Octoberfest/Wurstfest! There are some very good recipes for German potato salad on this site. Great ethnic food.

I didn't care for this. I am not sure why.

Oh my gosh, this was delicious! I had a craving for cabbage, which I never cook and my man won't eat, and found this recipe. I made it for a family gathering around Octoberfest, and I'm so glad I tried it! Healthy and so yummy. I put everything in my crockpot on low for about 4 hours, and it was perfect. And so easy! I only had to stir it a few times, and I had to stop myself from eating it all before my dinner party. A little cloves go a long way IMO, so I only used 1/8 teaspoon, and it was perfect. Also subbed applesauce for the sliced apples, and added half a sliced onion. Will definitely make again!

I had some extra red cabbage to use up, so I thought I would give this a try. It wasn't bad. We liked it alright but didn't love it. If I had red cabbage on hand I would make it again. I might change the ratio and add more apples. But I wouldn't go buy red cabbage just to make this. Of course, if you're a huge fan of red cabbage, you might love it.

Delicious recipe. I make it for Christmas every year and it's on the stove as I speak. I wish people would stop changing recipes, and then posting "reviews" of the "recipe." "I added caraway seeds", "I added an onion", "I used less sugar", "I used whole cloves instead." "I didn't have yada yada so I substituted XYZ". If you do this, you are not reviewing this recipe. You are reviewing your own recipe. Yes, you may have used this recipe for inspiration, but you changed it into a different recipe. This isn't helpful to those of us who are not into changing recipes and who want to know what THIS recipe is like. BTW, I don't change this recipe at all.

I made this tonight for an Oktoberfest potluck. It was delicious and got gobbled up. Very easy make. I only had McIntosh apples but they worked fine. You need a LOT of cabbage because it does reduce a great deal.

it was good, less sugar next time.

Made this yesterday. FABULOUS! I used a huge granny smith and used Stevia rather than sugar and it turned out fine this way. The ground clove was interestingly wonderful in this. About one half of a medium sized cabbage equaled the 5 cups. Next time I'll double the recipe for sure. I braised the cabbage for about 2.5 hours. Delicious, nutritious and actually so simple to make and tweak according to personal tastes.

Not only delicious but incredibly healthy! Par-cooked cabbage releases much more nutrients than raw. I used stevia instead of sugar and less salt (added a pinch of caraway seeds for punch). I made a double recipe hoping to have left overs but the bowl was empty.

This is a nice easy quick recipe for German red cabbage, I made it as written.

This was very tasty!

excellent! my husband loved it and he is very familiar with German dishes!Thank you!

This is the best recipe for red cabbage ever!!

This is my go-to recipe when I get red cabbage from my CSA. I do this in the crock pot with pork chops nestled on top.

I was looking for a recipe to use up leftover red cabbage and was skeptical, but this recipe didn't disappoint. I didn't have a green apple, so I used a small gala, a little less sugar, and it was delicious.

Made this with the Sauerbraten I on this site and now my neighbors are asking me to fix them some more to chow down on. This was a great hit.

Perfect. Reduced the salt by 1 t. Otherwise made as written. A true German tasting dish. Loved it! Cooked for 2 hrs.

Delish! Rarely do I rate recipes but I couldn't resist sharing how much I loved this one! Served w/ fried potatoes and kielbasa. It's a keeper and will go into my rotation, thanks for sharing it Gramma Jeanette!

Tasted just like the "real kind" that I had in Germany many years ago! Easy AND tasty!!

Excellent--but I dropped the salt to 1/2 teaspoon...cooked it in the pressure cooker for 5 minutes after jiggle. Let stand another 5 then reduced the pressure. So good!

I have made this recipe now over a dozen times and its amazing. It reminds me of my trip to Germany. I have made it with green and red cabbage and its been great either way. I prefer the red. I have occasionally even thrown pork chops in with it to cook.

I’m sorry there is no picture because it didn’t last that long. Everyone loved it and it was the best red cabbage recipe I ever made. I followed the recipe exactly and will need to make it over and over again.

This is absolutely delicious! I made this for me and my fiance, and both of us prefer our red cabbage to be little sweeter, so I substituted the vinegar for apple juice. I added a tbsp of white vinegar though just to keep enough tartness. Also, I didn't have any cloves or ground cloves on hand, so I used nutmeg which was a great substitute. I think you're better off cooking it as long as you can if you have the time! I let mine simmer 2 hrs. and 15 minutes, and it was great. Thanks for sharing this!

We love it! My husband is German and he says this is authentic!

I made a double batch with the only change being a little less salt. This was a test batch for an upcoming German potluck and I know this will be a hit. Thank you!!

This is an absolute favorite in my house. My husband raves about it. I usually serve up some bratwurst with it. I never have apple cider vinegar and it works well with white wine vinegar or even white vinegar and a splash of apple juice. I also cool it for about an hour and a half and the texture is perfect.

Too complex and sweet.

I love German food. One of my favorite things at a German restaurant is the red cabbage. This recipe taste just like my favorite local German restaurant.

Honestly I can't just make a single batch anymore! I tried this recipe based on the reviews I read and I'm so glad that I did. I don't change a thing on the recipe. I'm happy that I was warned about the smell when it's cooking though :)

Excellent recipe! Just the right mix of sweet and sour. I was a little wary of adding clove, but I figured I should step outside my comfort zone. Glad I did. Quite easy to make. Thanks

GREAT and Easy . Thanks for sharing

This was delicious!! I used brown sugar instead of white and didn't include the apples because I didn't have any. Next time I make it, I will include the apples!

No. When a German guest told me I “nailed it” why would I change it.

This was delicious...but made some changes. I decreased the salt to 1 teaspoon, & doubled the vinegar. Had it with pork tenderloin & will make it again. My husband really liked it.

It was tasty enough and the kitchen aromas were wonderful while it was cooking, but the ingredients cook down to a small amount of food with too much butter, salt and sugar.

My go-to recipe, served with pork schnitzel and spatzle. I add a chopped red onion. Perfect....

This is the best German Red Cabbage. I followed the recipe and it was excellent!!