Non-sweet red cabbage recipe

[BarkminsterBlue]

Please can anyone recommend a good red cabbage recipe (beyond just braising in butter) with absolutely no sweetness? Everything seems to have raisins (wtf) / sugar / apple etc. Not vegetarian so meat ingredients (e.g. bacon?) are very acceptable.

I made a Jamie Oliver one which does have apple in, but tastes more like sauerkraut than the sweet red cabbage I'd had before. There is bacon, but it doesn't really add anything to the dish, so I'd happily leave it out.
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/must-try-red-cabbage-braised-with-apple-bacon-and-balsamic-vinegar/

I try bacon ,then add the red cabbage , 6 crushed juniper berries and son cider vinegar, cook for at least 30 mins

This one is good and not very sweet at all. I do cook mine for much longer than the recipe says to

www.thespruceeats.com/polish-braised-red-cabbage-recipe-1137527

I just put it in a pan with a tiny bit of water, a chopped apple, a few juniper berries and a splash of cider vinegar. Loads of salt and both white and black pepper. Finish with a knob of butter at the end. Love it.

Thank you, but I’m looking for recipes with absolutely no sugar or fruit.

Just use a recipe with apple in and leave out the apple. Bacon, onion, cooked until a bit brown, red cabbage, either fennel or juniper berries, vinegar and cook until soft and tasty.

I shred it then stir fry (hot and fast!) with ginger, garlic and a good shake of soy sauce. Not sure that would go with Christmas lunch, but it's really very good.

I like it roasted in wedges with salt and pepper, can't abide sweet stuff in cabbage

I have this. I've bought two Sainsbury's ones, one with beetroot, and both were far too sweet.

What do you think will go with it? If nothing sweet and no bacon? 🤔
Not sure what an alternative would be apart from just onion and butter

@DaisyWaldron

Just use a recipe with apple in and leave out the apple. Bacon, onion, cooked until a bit brown, red cabbage, either fennel or juniper berries, vinegar and cook until soft and tasty.

She said no meat And no berries…

Oops misread the bacon bit! Sorry!

Caramelize an onion, add cabbage a splash of port, salt and balsamic vinegar. Cook for best part of hour. Always make the day before. Add cloves, mace, juniper, blah, blah to taste.

@BarkminsterBlue

Thank you, but I’m looking for recipes with absolutely no sugar or fruit.

I make this one without the sugar as we are both diabetic. Its still lovely

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/braisedredcabbage_81485

Your going to find it a bit difficult to make with out sugar...

Can you add apples? Bramleys ?

If not

I'd do this:

Butter
Spice
Bramleys
Maybe grated carrot for the sweetness
1 tbs vinegar
Veg stock at least 1 litre
Cook on very low for an hour

@User2638483 Juniper berries are a spice, not a fruit. They are berries in the same way that peppercorn and allspice are berries.

Why would it be difficult? I’m not trying to achieve sweetness without sugar or fruit. I don’t want it to taste sweet at all.

Taste is down to a balance of salt, fat, acid and sugar. If you miss one out, it does not taste quite right.

Sorry, that is just how it works.

The cabbage contains natural sugars. I don’t want to add any more. I am aware that traditional Christmas red cabbage is prepared as a very sweet dish but I strongly dislike this. I fail to see the controversy.

As above, roasted in wedges with butter, s&p.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/cabbage-with-fennel-chilli-garlic just switch the white for red.

Lovely, thank you.

Absolutely no need to add sugar! And beward - balsamic vinegar is sugary.

I boil mine for around 5 minutes, then drain. In the pan I cooked it in, I melt a good 50g butter, and then sautée a chopped onion gently. When soft, add the cabbage back into the pan and stir it all together, then add a good splash of cider vinegar. Then turn down the heat and braise for as long as you can with the lid on the pan - 30 minutes is a good time. Before serving, remove the pan lid and if there's too much liquid in the pan, increase the heat till it's mostly boiled off. Add more butter if you like!

Sometimes I shred it ultra fine and fry it in sesame oil and season with fish sauce and lime juice. Plus chili, ginger and garlic of course. Probably wouldn't do it for Christmas.

If you don't add the vinegar it goes blue,my recipe above has no sugar and is not sweet, I am diabetic but also hate sweet foods in a savoury meal.