Gather the ingredients for this recipe to have on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
Using a knife and cutting board, coarsely chop the cabbage.
Core, peel, and dice the apples.
Chop the onion.
Place cabbage in large bowl and sprinkle with red wine vinegar, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. Set aside.
Cook the Cabbage
In large saute pan, cook the bacon until nicely browned. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the extra grease. When cooled, break into bite-size pieces.
Using the same pan, cook apples and onions in the remaining bacon fat (2 tablespoons) until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add in the chopped cabbage, bay leaf, cloves, and water. Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 90 minutes to 2 hours, keeping the cabbage moist with extra water, if needed. When the cabbage is done, there should be no liquid left in the pan.
Remove bay leaf and cloves. Stir in wine and jelly. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as desired.
When ready to serve, sprinkle top with bacon pieces. Serves 6-8.