Mary Berry's simmered red cabbage with cider
Image credit: Mary Berry

Mary Berry's Christmas simmered red cabbage and cider

Red cabbage is a hearty vegetable and perfect to serve in winter as a delicious accompaniment to Christmas lunch. This Christmas red cabbage recipe from Mary Berry is slow cooked in cider for an extravagant treat.

By Mary Berry | Published - 4 Dec 2024

Preparation time 3-4 hours

Serves 6

  • Ingredients
  • Method
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 knobs of butter
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1kg (2lb 3oz) red cabbage, finely shredded
  • 250ml (10fl oz) cider
  • 4 tbsp redcurrant jelly
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/140ºC fan/Gas 3.
  2. Heat the oil and a knob of butter in a deep ovenproof saucepan. Add the onion and cabbage and fry for 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add the cider and redcurrant jelly, season, bring to the boil and boil for a few minutes.
  4. Cover the pan with a lid and place in the oven for 3-4 hours until completely tender.
  5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cabbage to a warm dish, leaving the juices behind in the pan.
  6. Place the pan on the hob and reduce the liquid until the colour has darkened and reduced to a syrupy consistency.
  7. Stir in the remaining butter, remove from the heat and pour over the cabbage.

Prepare ahead

You can make this Christmas cabbage recipe up to 12 hours in advance. To reheat, cover with foil and bake in the oven.

Recipes extracted from Mary Berry Simple Comforts by Mary Berry (BBC Books, RRP £26)

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