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.

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. Drain on a paper-towel lined plate to dry.

Baking soda does help green vegetables retain color, but it causes undesirable color changes in red cabbage—it turned blue. The science can be distilled to this: Adding baking soda to cooking water makes it slightly alkaline, which stabilizes the green color of chlorophyll.

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.

These plants can take cool weather and some say they are sweeter after a frost has dusted their leaves. This is because as the temperatures drop, the cold causes the plants to break down the energy and convert it into sugar, leading to a sweeter, tastier flavor.

If you notice any signs of worms or insects, which sometimes appears in cabbage, soak the head in salt water or vinegar water for 15-20 minutes first. To preserve its vitamin C content, cut and wash the cabbage right before cooking or eating it.

Cooking. 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.

Boiled cabbage is notoriously smelly and steaming is often thought of as a less aromatic way to cook the vegetable. However, the pungent smell is actually the result of overcooking. Boil it just until tender, and you won't have a stinky kitchen.

The cabbage juice is called an indicator because it can tell you the pH of a solution based on the color that it changes. The vinegar will turn the cabbage juice red because it is an acid (acetic acid). The baking soda will turn the cabbage juice greenish-yellow because it is a base (sodium bicarbonate).

Cabbage. Make your slaw with salted cabbage and it'll be noticeably less watery and stay crisp and fresh for days longer. Put sliced cabbage in a colander, sprinkle with salt (about a tablespoon for 6 cups cabbage), toss, let sit.

Why does my cabbage taste bland? ›

You don't salt your cabbage appropriately

The second most popular people dislike cooking cabbage is how bland it may taste thanks to the excess moisture it releases during cooking. So, if you're making a slaw, experts advise that you salt the cabbage before combining it with other vegetables.

If you want to preserve these nutritional benefits, it's best to steam your cabbage. First, because steaming improves its cholesterol-lowering properties. Steaming also preserves more glucosinolates than microwaving, despite longer cooking time. Purple or red cabbage is a special nutritional powerhouse.

Cabbage does double detox duty. Its diuretic properties help rid your body of excess liquid, carrying toxins along with it. Like other cruciferous veggies, cabbage is also sulfur-rich, helping your liver break down toxins so they can be more easily expelled.

The antioxidants in cabbage help reduce inflammation, which is linked to heart disease. Cabbage also contains something called anthocyanins. Several studies have found these compounds can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

In addition to the tangy flavor, pickled red cabbage brings a pop of bright color to a plate; when the acidic vinegar brine comes into contact with the cabbage, the vegetable goes from deep purple to a beautiful shade of red.

Chockful of nutrients

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.

Before cooking, remove any tired or discoloured leaves and always cook red cabbage with a little vinegar. This preserves the beautiful purple colour – without it, the cabbage will turn blue!