3 Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Cabbage (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.

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.

Shredded cabbage will be done in around 5 minutes; for wedges, it'll be done around 10. You want to cook until tender, but err on the side of caution—overcooked cabbage will turn limp and give off a less-than-pleasant smell. Tip: Make sure to drain your cabbage to prevent overcooking!

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.

One way to cut down on some of the gas-producing effects is to choose cooked cabbage over raw. “Generally speaking, cooking can help reduce this effect by 'softening' the fiber, making it a little bit easier on the digestive system,” explains Cording.

Chop and soak: Soaking chopped cabbage in cold water for about 15 minutes will leach out most of the bitter and harsh flavor compounds, while also making the cabbage crisper. This is especially vital for leaf cabbage, but also works with firmer head cabbage varieties.

The salt then draws moisture out of the cabbage's cells through osmosis, forming a salty brine. This brine is important because it submerges the cabbage and deprives the Lactobacillus and other microorganisms of oxygen – the second step!

Growing aromatic plants amongst the cabbage-type plants — like hyssop, thyme, wormwood, celery, dill, sage and onions — will all help to confuse these insects. BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) or Dipel, if you spray each week, can also control these insects.

Some people (especially food service establishments relying upon your satisfaction) add an alkaline ingredient, such as baking soda, to the cooking water to help retain the color of green vegetables. This is a bad practice, however, and you should avoid adding baking soda when boiling any type of vegetable.

What are the side effects of eating boiled cabbage? ›

Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea. It's best to slowly introduce these vegetables into your diet and gradually increase your intake. Individuals with sensitive digestive tracts might want to limit cabbage or talk to your doctor.

The secret to making this cabbage delicious cutting the cabbage correctly and roasting it at high heat. You want the oven hot enough to crisp up the edges just enough to impart some roasted smokiness. But the interior of the cabbage should remain just tender, not mushy or steamed.

Clean with water.

Also make sure not to miss cleaning the inside as well. Sometimes dirt can be hidden deep within so make sure to be thorough.

Cabbage. The outer layer isn't going to be eaten—the leaves are tougher and undesirable to many—so why wash cabbage? There's a good reason: Worms or other insects could be inside the cabbage, so to be safe, follow these steps for cleaning and washing it.

Prolonged cooking turns the sulfurous compounds into trisulfides — noxious-smelling compounds that have a tendency to linger in the kitchen. If your tap water is alkaline, red cabbage will react to it by turning a bluish color.

An old trick to use is to leave the cabbage lightly doused in vinegar water for a couple of minutes before proceeding to wash the cabbage with water. Usually between two or four minutes. Vinegar kills some types of bacteria and helps killing mold and mildew that could have grown on the cabbage.

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!

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).