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In Danish, My Mom Called This Rødkål
Growing up, my mom would serve red cabbage with a lot of our meals especially when she served pork. Pork roasts, pork chops, leftover pork with potatoes and onions. Didn’t matter, there was always a serving of red cabbage on the side.
Fortunately for me, I liked the taste of the sweet and tart flavors of her red cabbage but now that I think back, I don’t remember my mom ever making red cabbage from scratch. As far back as I can remember, it always came from a jar.
Where she purchased these jars of red cabbage is a mystery to me. My recollection is the labels were in Danish so either she shopped at Scandinavian store near us (doubtful), she brought it back with her from her many trips to Denmark or she purchased an American brand of red cabbage.
Making Your Own Red Cabbage
I thought it would be fun to prepare my own Danish red cabbage and found this recipe in Trina Hahnemann’s The Scandinavian Cookbook. Chef Trina is a well know Danish chef and food writer and was nice enough to do an interview with me. See Interview with Trina Hahnemann.
What I didn’t know about red cabbage is how red currant jelly is used to help give it its dark red coloring. In looking at other recipes for Danish red cabbage, I noticed a lot of them included apples but this one doesn’t and I’m not sure why. It seems to me the apples help give the dish some of its tartness. I’ll make them optional.
Chef Trina’s recipe also calls for duck fat, an item that is not always easy to find in your local supermarket. I substituted butter but I’m sure the duck fat version is incredible.
📖 Recipe
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Danish Red Cabbage Recipe
Just like my mor made it at home.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time2 hours hrs
Total Time2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Danish
Keyword: red cabbage
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- ¼ cup duck fat
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium head cabbage
- 1 yellow onion
- ¾ cup red wine
- ½ cup superfine sugar
- ¼ cup red current jelly
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 10 whole cloves
- 2 tablespoons apple grated, optional
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Remove the tough outer leaves from the cabbage, wash and core the head. Slice the head in half from top to bottom. Laying each half down on a cutting board, slice the cabbage in big thick slices or finely cut thin slices.
Really depends on how you like your red cabbage.
Preheat a large pan, big enough to hold all the cabbage, add duck fat or butter and when it’s good and hot, add the cabbage.
Cook over medium to medium-high heat until the cabbage gets shiny but not browned.
Add the onion, red wine, sugar, red currant jelly, vinegar, cinnamon stick, and cloves to the pan.
Season with some salt and pepper.
If you are using optional apples, now’s the time to add them.
Cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer for approximately 2 hours until the cabbage is “dark purple and shiny.”
Remove the onion, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and if needed, some additional sugar. You want it to be a little sweet, but not too much.
Notes
You can serve this right away with the rest of your meal but it really does get better when served the following day. Historically, this is a traditional Danish side dish served with stuffed loin of pork or goose on Christmas Day.
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I'm a work-at-home dad who enjoys cooking, learning everything I can about the culinary world and sharing it with you. To learn more about me... Read More…
Reader Interactions
Comments
Thank You
This is by far the most traditional recipe I've seen, very much like my mother's recipe! She is almost 90 and was telling me the steps, thank you for refreshing our memory. Have a wonderful New Year!
Great recipe
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FAQs
Crisp it up: Shredded cabbage stays perky if it's soaked in cold water. This also helps cut the pungent edge. Drain well before combining with other ingredients.
Do you soak red cabbage before cooking? ›
If you notice any signs of worms or insects, which sometimes appears in cabbage, soak the head in salt water or vinegar water for 15-20 minutes first. To preserve its vitamin C content, cut and wash the cabbage right before cooking or eating it.
Can you cook red cabbage the same as regular cabbage? ›
Red and green cabbage can be used interchangeably in most recipes. The difference between cooking green cabbage and red cabbage is just one extra step. The compounds that give red cabbage its color, called anthocyanins, are water-soluble and will turn an unappetizing blue color when cooked.
Do you cook red cabbage or eat it raw? ›
When selecting a red cabbage, the color should be vibrant. You can add this versatile vegetable to soups, stews, salads, and coleslaw. It's delicious raw, steamed, sautéed, or fermented. It retains the most nutrients when it's eaten raw but is still highly nutritious when cooked.
Why is vinegar added to red cabbage? ›
When cooked in an alkaline liquid like water, red cabbage turns blue. Adding vinegar, lemon juice, or another acid helps the cabbage to retain its red-purple color.
Why do you put vinegar in cabbage when boiling it? ›
Green is the heartiest variety; it takes well to all cooking methods. Red can turn a funny blue color when cooked, so it's best used raw. If you do want to cook it, add a touch of acid like lemon juice or vinegar to lessen the effect.
How do you take the bitterness out of red cabbage? ›
One way to make raw cabbage less bitter, and therefore more palatable, is to let it marinate in something salty or acidic for a while.
Is it better to boil or steam red cabbage? ›
Steaming is an indirect cooking process which means delicate ingredients can be gently cooked to retain their flavour and nutrients. The benefit of steaming cabbage is that it doesn't produce the unpleasant smell associated with boiled cabbage.
What is the best way to eat red cabbage? ›
Pickled red cabbage is an excellent match for cheese, cold meats and smoked fish. Red cabbage braised with vinegar and apples makes a traditional sweet and sour recipe to accompany a roast and beautifully spiced versions are commonly found at Christmas celebrations served with turkey, goose or baked ham.
What goes well with red cabbage? ›
Sweet and sour red cabbage is a perfect side dish for sausages, pork chops, schnitzel or German pork burgers. This braised cabbage also pairs well with roast chicken, duck, and roast beef.
Conveniently, you can freeze red cabbage, again, with shredding and blanching before freezing generally being the best method to use. The only thing to consider is that red cabbage can stain, so cover your workstation and wear gloves while chopping to avoid making a mess.
Is red cabbage healthier than green cabbage? ›
Red cabbage contains 10 times higher of Vitamin A than the green ones. A cup of red cabbage provides 33 percent of daily Vitamin A intake compared to only 3 percent of the same serving of the green variety.
What is the healthiest cabbage to eat? ›
Purple cabbage is a nutrient-rich vegetable linked to a variety of health benefits, including reduced inflammation, a healthier heart, stronger bones, improved gut function, and maybe a lower risk of certain cancers. Purple cabbage, also referred to as red cabbage, belongs to the Brassica genus of plants.
Is cabbage anti-inflammatory? ›
The antioxidants in cabbage help reduce inflammation, which is linked to heart disease. Cabbage also contains something called anthocyanins. Several studies have found these compounds can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
What are the benefits of red cabbage water? ›
Cabbage juice is loaded with nutrients, such as vitamins C and K, and drinking it is linked to many purported benefits, including weight loss, improved gut health, decreased inflammation, balanced hormones, and body detoxification.
How long should I soak cabbage for? ›
Ordinarily, you don't need to soak cabbage before cooking. There are two reasons to soak cabbage. If you cut into the cabbage and notice worms or insects, soak the cut cabbage in salt water for 10 to 20 minutes. This will drown unwanted critters.
How do you make red cabbage not bleed? ›
Prevent the Cabbage from Bleeding.
To prevent this, toss the cabbage with 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar before combining it with the rest of the ingredients.
I'm a work-at-home dad who enjoys cooking, learning everything I can about the culinary world and sharing it with you. To learn more about me... Read More…