Braising red cabbage on a Sunday while slow cooking a pork shoulder roast makes plating up a traditional German dinner a breeze. I served mine with a some spatzle noodles tossed with a citrus spiked herb butter and a smattering of green beans. After enjoying a cozy Sunday dinner around the family table, I cooled down the leftover pork and cabbage and tossed them in the fridge.
The following day I split a couple of fresh pretzel rolls, slathered them with a little herb butter before dressing them with the leftover cabbage, pork and fresh apple slices. The sandwich has considerable German flair and boasts plenty of slow cooked flavor with out being tied to the kitchen all day. Don’t skimp on the apples; they offer an unexpected crunch in an otherwise soft and juicy sandwich.
My German inspired sandwiches came together with a quickness on a busy week-day evening thanks to a pair of double duty dishes.
Prost to full bellies and a lighter work load!
Double Duty Dinner: German Style Pork and Braised Red Cabbage
German Style Pork:
- 1 Large onion, sliced
- 4 pounds pork shoulder roast
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 granny smith apple, cored, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/4” thick slices
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ Cup of cheap mild beer
Slice the onion and place it in the bottom of an 8 quart slow cooker. Place the roast in the slow cooker and season it liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the roast with the caraway seeds, paprika, allspice and cloves. Combine the mustard, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl and mix well. Slather the mustard mixture evenly over the roast and sprinkle with the sliced apples. Add the cinnamon and bay leaf to the pot and pour the beer around the roast. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours and low for 2 additional hours or on low setting for 10 hours. Meat should shred from the bone easily.
Braised Red Cabbage
- 1 medium head of red cabbage
- 2 Tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- Salt and Pepper
- 2/3 Cup balsamic vinegar, divided
- 2 granny smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 large bay leaf’
Cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Cut the cabbage crosswise into thin shreds. Rinse the shredded cabbage well in cold water. Heat the grapeseed oil in a large pot over medium heat; add the onion and season them with salt. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browning (about 8 minutes). Add 1/3 Cup of balsamic vinegar and the apples and mix well. Add the cabbage and toss well to coat. Add the remaining vinegar, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and bay leaf to the pot and toss well. Add an additional sprinkling of salt and place the lid on the pot. Allow the cabbage to simmer for 45 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning and and serve. Refrigerate leftovers after cooling.
Day 1: Traditional Pork, Cabbage and Spatzle Dinner
- Prepared German Style Pork
- Prepared Braised Red Cabbage
- Cooked Spatzle or Egg Noodles tossed with Herb Butter*
- Cooked Green Beans
Day 2: For the German Pork Sandwiches
- Prepared German Style Pork -reheated
- Prepared Braised Red Cabbage-reheated
- Herb Butter*
- Fresh Granny Smith Apple slices
- Pretzel Rolls
*Herb Butter: I used a mixture of room temperature salted butter, fresh chives, dried dill, pepper and lemon zest.
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