oktoberfest red cabbage & kielbasa

Name: Oktoberfest Red Cabbage & Kielbasa
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 1-1½ lbs. - kielbasa, bratwurst, or other sausage; 2 Tbs butter or bacon grease; 1 head red cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped; 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped; 2-3 cloves garlic, minced; 6 ounces beer (or water or chicken broth); ¼ cup raisins (optional); ¼ cup cider vinegar; 3-4 Tbs brown sugar; 1-2 tsp chicken bouillon; ½ tsp (each) celery seed, black pepper; ½ tsp fennel seeds (optional); two granny smith apples

8 Pinches 6 Photos

Larry Cline

Midland, GA

Updated on Oct 3, 2022

Fall is cabbage time! This braised cabbage (adapted from a meal I enjoyed at a German Biergarten) begs to be served with pork. You can cook kielbasa or bratwursts right in it, or you can leave the sausage out and serve it as a side dish alongside tenderloin or pork chops. Add some buttered new potatoes and crusty rolls, and your Oktoberfest dinner is ready. Guten Appetit!

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Oktoberfest food! Kielbasa or other sausages, cooked with tangy red cabbage, apples, and onions.

prep time

cook time

method Stove Top

yield

Ingredients

1-1½ lbs. - kielbasa, bratwurst, or other sausage
2 Tbs butter or bacon grease
1 head red cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces beer (or water or chicken broth)
¼ cup raisins (optional)
¼ cup cider vinegar
3-4 Tbs brown sugar
1-2 tsp chicken bouillon
½ tsp (each) celery seed, black pepper
½ tsp fennel seeds (optional)
two granny smith apples

How To Make oktoberfest red cabbage & kielbasa

Step 1

Cut the sausage into four or five pieces, and split each piece lengthwise. In a large pan*, brown the sausage in oil or bacon fat, then remove and set aside.

Step 2

Add the cabbage, onion, and garlic to the pan, and fry until softened.
Step 3

Stir in the beer, vinegar, raisins (optional), brown sugar, bouillon, and seasonings. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Step 4

While the cabbage is cooking, quarter the unpeeled apples and remove the cores. Cut each quarter in half, then slice into half-inch pieces.
Step 5

After 20 minutes, uncover the pan and stir the apple chunks into the cabbage mixture until just beginning to soften. Return the kielbasa to the pan, arranging it on top of the cabbage mixture. Simmer uncovered until the sausage is reheated.
Step 6

*I use my electric skillet for this, but you could also cook it in a large frying pan, or even a dutch oven. It's attractive enough that you can serve it right from the cooking pan, so something that can go to the table is good.
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