Sticky Red Cabbage Chutney with Apples and Raisins

Sticky red cabbage chutney with apples and raisins cooked in malt vinegar and brown sugar has a very distinct British sweet and sour vibe.

This dish takes around an hour to prepare and cook and is just as good alongside a pork pie or ploughman’s lunch as it is on a burger!

Sticky Red Cabbage with Golden Raisins

Chutney recipes arrived in the UK from India and have very much taken a central role in British food.

They take many forms, my simple apple chutney is mainly fruit-based. In contrast, the much-vaunted Branston pickle that so often sits aside a ploughman’s lunch or on my ploughmans sandwich is very much vegetable-based.

This red cabbage chutney is a combination of both and it rocks a very British style of sweet and sour.

We have tart Granny Smith apples combined with sweet raisins which are cooked slowly with red cabbage.

It is superb served with everything from burgers to salads and it’s awesome in toasties too!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use malt vinegar?

As far as I am concerned the real secret to the flavour of this recipe is the type of vinegar used.

As a result, I think that you need malt vinegar for this recipe, it is delicious and it is made from ale and it is non-negotiable for this recipe.

Having said that, you could change the recipe and make it yours by using any vinegar that you wish. But you will need to play with the amount of both vinegar and sugar to get the amounts where you need them to be.

Can I use a different type of apple?

Yes, you can experiment with the type of apple in this recipe. I use Granny Smiths because they are not too sweet and they hold their form a little when cooked.

How long will this recipe store?

I have not explicitly created this chutney as a long-term preserve recipe.

Chutneys will often last for a year or two when developed and stored properly, but this recipe is designed to be made and used fairly quickly.

I’ve had it in the fridge for 10 days in an air-tight container and it has been fine.

What size jar do you use?

This recipe makes around 600ml or around 2½ cups of chutney. But I usually put it into two jars so that I can leave one jar sealed for longer.

Serving Suggestions

I love chutney recipes they are so versatile and this sticky sweet and sour cabbage chutney is no different.

It would be awesome on a burger, both my pork and apple burger and venison burger would be great with this as a topping.

But if I were to be honest the way that I eat it most is with cheese on toast or maybe Welsh rarebit if I am feeling fancy.

It is perfect with a cheese and cold meat platter or a ploughman’s lunch.

It is also a killer side dish served with a hand-raised pork pie or cheese and onion pie (pictured above and below).

You could also use it in place of the Branston pickle in my cheese and onion pasty recipe!

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Stovetop.
• 20cm or 8″ saucepan.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Weighing scales and or measuring jug, cups and spoons.
• Stirring spoon.
• Storage jars.