Steamed Sweet & Sour Cabbage
Cabbage is often overlooked as part of the meal for us. It is a very versatile vegetable. It is also pretty cheap, depending on location and time of year. This is quick and easy as are most cabbage recipes. I will be surprised if you don't use it more often after using this recipe. In the did you know category, cabbage is one of the oldest known vegetables? It has been cultivated for at least 4,000 years.
Cabbage is often overlooked as part of the meal for us. It is a very versatile vegetable. It is also pretty cheap, depending on location and time of year. This is quick and easy as are most cabbage recipes. I will be surprised if you don't use it more often after using this recipe. In the did you know category, cabbage is one of the oldest known vegetables? It has been cultivated for at least 4,000 years.
- Carbohydrate 13.8819229100013 g
- Cholesterol 10.3177083333333 mg
- Fat 4.05734375 g
- Fiber 3.88941666444143 g
- Protein 2.18705625 g
- Saturated Fat 2.49759833333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (177g)
- Sodium 62.4505208333333 mg
- Sugar 9.9925062455599 g
- Trans Fat 0.328732083333334 g
- Calories 93 calories
Step-by-step
- In a saute pan over medium heat, bring cabbage, sugar, salt, pepper, butter, and vinegar to a boil.
- Lower heat and cook covered for 3-5 minutes to wilt the cabbage. Check for doneness and if seems like what you like for crunchiness pull it out and plate it or put it into a bowl while you do the rest, it won't take much longer to finish this dish off.
- Keep cover off and add red onion, reduce to a thick consistance and pour over plated cabbage wedges.
Swapping standard white vinegar for a robust apple cider or aged balsamic variety alters not only the acidity profile but also how aggressively the liquid reduces when cooked down with aromatics. Without a wide sauté pan that permits maximum surface area exposure, the chicken stock and vinegar mixture will pool rather than rapidly concentrate into a glossy glaze, leaving the red onions raw and watery instead of properly softened and sweet. This cooking method relies on a controlled moist-heat environment where wedges of brassica steam rapidly under a lid, breaking down stubborn cell walls until the fibrous leaves yield to a tender bite without losing their structural integrity entirely. Controlling the duration of this covered stage is critical; holding the cabbage at a gentle simmer for precisely three to five minutes prevents the sulfur compounds from releasing too heavily, avoiding the unpleasant metallic aroma associated with over-boiled greens. When the cover is removed to cook off the remaining liquids, the chemical interaction between the acetic acid in the vinegar and the added sugar creates a quick reduction that coats the wedges evenly, balancing sharp sourness with caramelized sweetness while the butter fat emulsions bind the sauce together into a cohesive coating.
