Czechoslovakian Braised Cabbage (Dusene Zeli) Recipe

Name: Czechoslovakian Braised Cabbage (Dusene Zeli)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon bacon fat; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 4 slices bacon, chopped 1/4-inch; 1 (3-pound) head white or green cabbage, cored, shredded; 1 teaspoon caraway seeds , or more to taste; 1/4 cup white vinegar; 1 cup water; 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste; 1 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 60 mins

Total: 80 mins

Servings: 6 servings

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This Czechoslovakian braised cabbage recipe—dusene zeli—is easy to prepare, but it takes about 1 hour to braise properly. Still, the ingredients are few and simple and the dish makes a great accompaniment to many meat offerings. This recipe is a good candidate for a slow cooker.

For a shortcut, use preshredded cabbage.

1 tablespoon bacon fat
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 slices bacon, chopped 1/4 inch
1 (3-pound) head white or green cabbage, cored, shredded
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, or more to taste
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat bacon fat and sauté onions 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly colored. Stir in bacon and cook about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cabbage and caraway seeds, mixing well.
Cover and cook 5 minutes over medium heat. Add vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour over low heat, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is done to your liking. Add water if necessary.

Recipe Variation

Use butter or oil instead of bacon fat when sautéing the onions.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
123	Calories
5g	Fat
16g	Carbs
6g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	123
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g	7%
Saturated Fat 2g	9%
Cholesterol 10mg	3%
Sodium 506mg	22%
Total Carbohydrate 16g	6%
Dietary Fiber 5g	17%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 86mg	431%
Calcium 121mg	9%
Iron 1mg	3%
Potassium 529mg	11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.