Recipes › Cabbage (Winter) › Slow-Braised Winter Cabbage with Smoked Bacon and Caraway
Slow-Braised Winter Cabbage with Smoked Bacon and Caraway
A deeply savoury braise that transforms winter cabbage into something truly special. The cabbage collapses slowly in stock and white wine, drinking up all the smoky, aromatic flavour from the bacon and caraway. This is proper cold-weather cooking — the kind of side dish that upstages the main.
Cabbage (Winter) is usually ready November to March. More cabbage (winter) recipes, or see what to sow this month where you are.
Ingredients
- 900 winter cabbage, outer leaves removed, quartered, core cut out, sliced into 1cm ribbons
- 150 g smoked streaky bacon, cut into lardonsor smoked pancetta
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 150 ml dry white wineor extra chicken stock
- 200 ml chicken stockuse vegetable stock to make vegetarian
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 15 g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Contains: milk, mustard, sulphites.
Method
- Place a wide, heavy-based casserole or deep sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon lardons and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have rendered their fat and turned golden at the edges, about 6–8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.About 8 min
- Add the butter to the bacon fat in the pan. Once melted, add the sliced onion with a good pinch of salt and cook over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not rush this — softened onions are the foundation of the braise.About 8 min
- Add the garlic and caraway seeds and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.About 1 min
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the cabbage ribbons in two or three batches, turning them with tongs and letting each addition wilt slightly before adding the next. Season with the remaining salt and pepper as you go.About 5 min
- Pour in the white wine and let it bubble fiercely for 2 minutes, scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan.About 2 min
- Stir in the chicken stock, wholegrain mustard, and the reserved bacon lardons. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and braise for 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the cabbage is completely tender and the liquid has reduced to a glossy, flavoursome sauce.About 25 min
- Remove the lid, taste and adjust seasoning. If there is still a lot of liquid, increase the heat and let it reduce for a further 2–3 minutes uncovered. Scatter over the parsley if using and serve immediately.About 3 min
Tips
- Cut the cabbage ribbons roughly the same width so they cook evenly — about 1cm is ideal. Too thin and they disappear; too thick and some will still be crunchy when others are done.
- The mustard is non-negotiable — it lifts the whole dish and stops it tasting heavy. Stir it in with the stock rather than at the end so it has time to mellow.
- This reheats beautifully. If anything, it improves overnight as the flavours continue to meld.
Ring the changes
- To make this vegetarian, swap the bacon for 150g of chestnut mushrooms, sliced, and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Add an extra teaspoon of wholegrain mustard to compensate for the lost smokiness.
- A splash of apple cider vinegar (about 1 tbsp) added with the stock gives the braise a pleasing sharpness that works particularly well alongside pork belly or sausages.
Keeping it
Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of water or stock.
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