Easy and Delicious Boiled Cabbage Recipe - The How-To Home (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put vinegar in cabbage when boiling it? ›

Green is the heartiest variety; it takes well to all cooking methods. Red can turn a funny blue color when cooked, so it's best used raw. If you do want to cook it, add a touch of acid like lemon juice or vinegar to lessen the effect. Savoy can be used in any recipe that calls for green cabbage.

Step 1Cut cabbage into wedges or slice it thin. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add cabbage. (It's OK to crowd the pot because the cabbage will shrink!) Step 2Boil until tender, about 5 minutes for shredded cabbage and 10 minutes for wedges.

Halve the cabbage—After drying, stand the cabbage on its stem end on a cutting board and cut it in half. Cut wedges—Lay a cabbage half down on a cut side and slice it into two, three, or four equal wedges, making sure each cut goes through the core to keep the wedge intact.

You don't add baking soda. Adding baking soda to your boiling cabbage can help reduce the objectionable smell and maintain the green color long after when it typically turns grayish from cooking for too long. However, this may rid the cabbage of its nutritional value.

Sugar: Plain ol' granulated sugar, the amount also to taste. It brings out the subtle, natural sweetness of Southern Fried Cabbage. Balsamic vinegar: Apple cider vinegar works just fine, too, but I like the flavor balsamic adds, and it's a tad sweeter so I don't add as much sugar.

Crisp it up: Shredded cabbage stays perky if it's soaked in cold water. This also helps cut the pungent edge. Drain well before combining with other ingredients.

It's Packed With Nutrients

Half a cup of cooked cabbage has about a third the vitamin C you need for the day. It also gives you doses of fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and K, and more.

Add about 8 cups of water to a pot.

BOILING: Wash and cut cabbage into quarters or large wedges. Add about 1/2 inch of water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add cabbage and continue boling uncovered, until the pieces are tender, about 8 to 11 minutes. STEAMING: Cut the cabbage head into 4 wedges.

Bring the water or stock to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then add the cabbage. Simmer the cabbage for 10-15 minutes, or until it's as tender as you like it.

Can you overcook boiled cabbage? ›

Overcook the hearty leaves, and you'll end up with limp, stinky mush that no one wants to eat. By paying close attention to cooking time, and with the addition of some seasoning, you can turn boiled cabbage into a quick and delicious side dish — you can even make it the star of the show.

Quite unlike the ice-water cabbage, salted cabbage shreds lost most of its liquid while sitting in the salt, leaving the cabbage pickle-crisp. In addition to having less water in it, the cabbage took on more of the dressing's flavors, and unlike stiff, icy shreds, this limp cabbage was also easier to eat.

To reduce the likelihood of experiencing gas after eating cabbage, consider cooking it thoroughly. This can help break down the fibers and make it easier to digest. Additionally, try adding caraway seeds or fennel seeds to your cabbage dishes, as these spices are known to help reduce gas.

A few whole cloves added to the boiling water for cabbage impart a delicately complementary flavor and aroma and may help to prevent gas during digestion. Other sweet spices that may be carminative include allspice, cinnamon and ginger.

Substances such as lemon juice and vinegar turn the cabbage juice red because they are acidic. Ammonia turns the cabbage juice into a blue/green color because it is a base, a material that tastes bitter and makes an acid neutral. Water does nothing, as it is a neutral.

Red cabbage offers another bonus: It's rich in natural pigments called anthocyanins, which new research suggests may help boost insulin production and lower blood sugar levels. Finally, cabbage is often prepared with vinegar, which can help lower the GL of your whole meal.

If you add vinegar it will stay the original color. The reddish pigment in the cabbage acts as a pH indicator like litmus paper. Your method of cooking is alkaline which isn't bad but would change the color of cabbage.

Cabbage contains an insoluble sugar and a lot of fiber. These can cause gas in some people. However, there are some herbs that might be useful, cooked with the cabbage, to reduce the amount of gas. These include dill seed, sage, caraway, basil, oregano, ginger, fennel, and allspice.

Some cleaning enthusiasts recommend boiling a pan of vinegar to help get rid of strong odours by turning the acetic acid into a vapour that might more readily react with any volatile bases in a room.