Blackcurrant jam and orange braised red cabbage
Who knew red cabbage would be the dish we all fought over?!
Honestly, as much as I adore a moist turkey or a crispy roastie, there’s something unexpectedly magical about this blackcurrant jam and orange braised red cabbage. I never thought I’d see the day when I got THIS excited about cabbage, but here we are. And let me tell you, this dish vanished in seconds when I served it up last year. I’m absolutely doubling it this year because I refuse to watch my family scraping out the remnants again.
This recipe came straight from my Christmas 101 series on Instagram, where my mission was to give you the ultimate, no-faff, crowd-pleasing festive recipes. And this one? An undeniable winner. You get the sweetness from the blackcurrant jam, the bright zesty notes from fresh orange, and then, because it’s Christmas and we’re all a little unhinged by this point, a generous splash of port. A boozy side dish never hurt anyone, especially when there’s always that one lonely bottle leftover from last year.
Why the slow cooker is a red cabbage miracle worker
Making this in the slow cooker is honestly one of my top festive hacks. Red cabbage needs time to soften, mellow out, and take on all those gorgeous flavours and the slow cooker does that effortlessly while freeing up your oven and hob. On Christmas Day, appliance space is basically gold dust, so letting this quietly bubble away in the corner is a lifesaver. It also means zero stirring, zero stress, and guaranteed melt-in-the-mouth cabbage that tastes like it’s been tended to by tiny, magical festive elves. Plus, the slow, gentle heat stops it from turning mushy or losing its colour, so you’re left with the most vibrant, jewel-toned side dish ever.
Christmas dinner sorted, babs.
Now that you’ve mastered the red cabbage, let’s talk about the rest of the feast. My goal is to arm you with every trick possible to deliver a Christmas dinner so good that family members will speak of it for decades. Children will tell the tale of “The Christmas Dinner of 2025” like it’s folklore, and honestly, it’ll be justified.
Turkey – Slightly controversial, but a dry brine plus a compound butter is the holy grail for the juiciest turkey known to mankind. I’ve converted more people than I can count. Once you’ve tried it, you never go back.
Sprouts – Let’s retire the fart jokes, because sprouts deserve way better. My bacon sprouts or vegan sprouts are genuinely elite, and the air fryer does magical things if you’re short on hob space. This is also why the red cabbage lives in the slow cooker, every kitchen gadget is working overtime on the big day.
Carrots & parsnips – Honey roasted. Always. Don’t @ me. Mine are here if you need them.
Roasties – Goose fat roasties so crispy they make me emotional. And we’ll even throw in a herby seasoning for good measure.
Stuffing – If you want chaos, the footage of my porky stuffing is… a lot. Watch at your own risk. And here it is.
Mash – Double carbs at Christmas is mandatory. And this mash? Creamy, smooth, and basically a hug in a bowl. My ultimate mash method is the only way.
Blackcurrant jam and orange braised red cabbage
By Poppy Cooks
https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/blackcurrant-jam-and-orange-braised-red-cabbage/
Ingredients
- 1 small red cabbage
- 25g butter
- 2 heaped tbsp Blackcurrant jam
- 1 Orange, juiced
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 75ml Port
- 50ml Red wine vinegar
- 2 apples, peeled and diced
Metric
Imperial
Instructions
- Remove the tough stalk from the cabbage and quarter, then finely slice both quarters.
- Melt the butter in the slow cooker, then throw in all of the other ingredients. Stir through, cover with the lid and leave on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4. When there is 30 minutes left on your cooking time, add in the diced apples and give everything a good stir. Turn up the slow cooker to high if you have cooked on low and cook for a final 30 minutes.
- This is even better the next day when the flavours have infused more!