The Skinny on…Cabbage

This versatile veggie is equally delicious raw, pickled, steamed, roasted, stir-fried, boiled, blanched or braised.

Article By: Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough 

• The Basics
• Visual Guide
• Recipes

The lowly cabbage is not as fancy as the parsnip, not as chic as the fennel. And yet surprisingly, it’s an international sophisticate, one of the few whose territory spans the globe. People from China to Kenya, Korea to Norway, all enjoy cabbages in their various forms.

Here at home, if you look closely at the supermarket offerings, you’ll notice an astounding array, from tight purple heads to leafy bok choy, from savory Brussels sprouts to mild Savoy cabbage. They are all cabbages, and they each are delicious when prepared properly. (But you know what isn't delicious? Ornamental cabbages. A favorite of gardeners across North America, ornamental cabbages should only be harvested if you’re sure they can be eaten. Otherwise, you might end up with a bad stomachache. Or worse.)

Here’s what you need to know about this world-class culinary star before you start cooking.

Buying tips
Look for firm, dense, tight heads. There should be a generous amount of “wrapper” — that is, the outer leaves protecting the more tender core. Even cabbages with floppy outer leaves should have tight, upright, inner leaves. The leaves should be shiny, crisp and colorful. There should be no major bruises or blemishes, or severe leaf damage (which can mean a rotten core). Check the bottom of the cabbage. The leaves should not pull away from the core (a sign of age). Buy whole or half heads. Half heads should be wrapped tightly in plastic to keep them from drying out in the fridge. Look for shredded cabbage is the refrigerated bags in the produce section; avoid bags with excessive moisture, mold, or brownish bits. When possible, buy Brussels sprouts on their stalk. In general, buy the smallest heads possible without any visible browning or bruising.
Storing tips
Wrap cabbage heads in plastic wrap before storing them in the fridge. (They dry out quickly.) Red and green cabbages can last up to two weeks; Savoy and looser leaf cabbages, about five days. Most cabbages have little dirt inside their compact heads. There’s no need to wash most of them. Just pull off the very outer leaves that have been handled in transit before chopping or prepping the vegetable.

Prepping cabbage for cooking
To remove whole leaves: If you're dealing with tight, compact heads for dishes like stuffed cabbage, turn the cabbage over so its stem faces you. Use a small, sharp paring knife to cut out the stem end (or the “core”), angling the knife to cut a roughly conical chunk out of the vegetable. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then submerge the cabbage head in that water for three minutes. Pull out the cabbage, set it in a colander in the sink to drain, and keep the water at a boil on the stove. Cool the vegetable for a few minutes, then gently peel off the leaves from the stem end. When you reach a level where the leaves won’t peel off easily, put the cabbage back in the boiling water and repeat this process. (NOTE: if a recipe calls for blanching those leaves before using them, this activity does not count as blanching! This is only the easiest way to remove whole leaves from the head. They still must be blanched as directed.)

To shred a cabbage: Cut the head into quarters through the core. Remove the tough core at the bottom of each quarter. Set the quarter cut-side down and slice into thin strips, starting at the top of the quarter and moving toward the core. If the recipe calls for thin shreds, make very thin slices. If the recipe calls for chopped cabbage, make thicker, perhaps uneven slices that you can then slice crosswise. Separate all the bits of cabbage from one another before using.

Pickled cabbage
Cabbage is one of the most commonly pickled vegetables.

• Scandinavians ferment green cabbage with salt to create sauerkraut. Did you know the “real deal” has no vinegar at all? Check out packages of lacto-fermented sauerkraut. You’ll never go back to the can!
• Pickled red cabbage is a savory side dish from Germany and central Europe, made with lots of vinegar and a little sugar.
• Kimchee is a Korean staple: chili-laced, pickled, Napa cabbage, a fiery condiment for any barbecue.
• In Pennsylvania, you can’t make vinegary corn relish without including lots of shredded cabbage. (In most cases, there’s more cabbage per volume and weight than corn!)
• In China, home cooks ferment and pickle the vegetable, a musky, sour addition to many traditional stir-fries.