Homemade Sauerkraut

The amount of cooking time is completely up to you.  My rule of thumb is this:  if the green cabbage is lightweight, it will be tender and could be eaten raw, or just cooked until it starts to wilt.  If the head of cabbage is heavy in your hand, it will be dense and slightly tougher, so I will cook it until it’s caramelized.

Ingredients:

2 strips bacon, diced
2 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp caraway seed, slightly ground or crushed.
1 sweet onion, diced
1 very large head green cabbage, cored and shredded
¼ cup apple cider or sherry vinegar

In a large sauté pan with a cover, render the bacon until it begins to crisp. 

If you have a mortar and pestle, use it to slightly grind the caraway seed.  When the bacon begins to crisp, add the olive oil and let it heat through.

Add the caraway seed and the garlic and sauté for one minute.

Add the onion, toss to coat in the oil, and let the onions sauté until they begin to color.

Add the shredded cabbage and toss to coat in the oil.  Let the cabbage sauté until it begins to color (or caramelize, your choice).

Once the cabbage is cooked to your liking, add the apple cider vinegar and cover the pan.

Allow the cabbage to steam for about 10 minutes. (If I am cooking this dish in advance, I turn the heat off and cover the pan.) 

Take the cover off, stir the cabbage around until the pan is “de-glazed” meaning all of the sticky brown mess is now incorporated into the cabbage.  Turn the heat back on, and let it sauté for another 5-10 minutes of cooking time just before serving.