How to Cut Cabbage
Remove damaged outer leaves., Rise and dry the cabbage., Select a long, stainless steel knife., Cut the cabbage in quarters over a stable cutting board., Remove the white core., Slice or shred the cabbage (optional)., Cook or treat with lemon juice.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remove damaged outer leaves.
Only remove leaves that are brown, slimy, or pocked with holes.
The remaining outer leaves are often tough, but this shouldn't be an issue after cooking. -
Step 2: Rise and dry the cabbage.
Hold the cabbage under cool, running water.
Rub the cabbage with clean fingers to remove dirt, germs, and pesticides.
Pat dry with a paper towel. , Chopping will go much faster if the knife is longer than the width of the cabbage.
Avoid carbon steel knives, which will turn the cut edges black., Hold the cabbage firmly against the cutting board, spreading your fingers over the side of the cabbage.
Cut through the center of the cabbage in one motion.
If you see worm holes or other signs of pests, soak the cabbage in salt water for 20 minutes before you continue., Any spherical cabbage (green, red, or Savoy) contains a tough, white stem unpleasant to eat.
To remove it from each quarter of the cabbage, hold the piece vertically, with the V-shaped core at the base.
Slice off the core in one diagonal cut.
You don't need to cut deeply into the cabbage to remove this.
If you're making wedges, leave a thin white layer to hold the leaves together.
You can leave the cabbage in quarters, or cut each one in half to make eight smaller wedges. , Place a cabbage wedge flat on the cutting board.
Bend your fingers inward and hold the wedge in place, so your knuckles are closer to the knife blade than your fingertips.
Slice the cabbage through the outer leaves to the center.
Cut in ¼ to ½" (6 to 12 mm) slices for stews, or shred to ⅛" (3 mm) thickness for sauerkraut or slaw.
You can also shred with a mandoline slicer, a grater with large holes, or a food processor's grating disk.
Mandoline blades can be dangerous to inexperienced users, so select a model with a hand guard.You can slice across the wedge for short slices, or along the wedge for longer ones.
Either way is fine for any recipe. , For longest fridge life, leave cabbage whole until you plan to use it.
If you have more than you can cook in one sitting, rub a lemon along the cut surface to prevent browning.
Store in plastic wrap or an unsealed plastic bag, refrigerated, for up to two weeks.
Store shredded cabbage in a bowl, under cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate. -
Step 3: Select a long
-
Step 4: stainless steel knife.
-
Step 5: Cut the cabbage in quarters over a stable cutting board.
-
Step 6: Remove the white core.
-
Step 7: Slice or shred the cabbage (optional).
-
Step 8: Cook or treat with lemon juice.
Detailed Guide
Only remove leaves that are brown, slimy, or pocked with holes.
The remaining outer leaves are often tough, but this shouldn't be an issue after cooking.
Hold the cabbage under cool, running water.
Rub the cabbage with clean fingers to remove dirt, germs, and pesticides.
Pat dry with a paper towel. , Chopping will go much faster if the knife is longer than the width of the cabbage.
Avoid carbon steel knives, which will turn the cut edges black., Hold the cabbage firmly against the cutting board, spreading your fingers over the side of the cabbage.
Cut through the center of the cabbage in one motion.
If you see worm holes or other signs of pests, soak the cabbage in salt water for 20 minutes before you continue., Any spherical cabbage (green, red, or Savoy) contains a tough, white stem unpleasant to eat.
To remove it from each quarter of the cabbage, hold the piece vertically, with the V-shaped core at the base.
Slice off the core in one diagonal cut.
You don't need to cut deeply into the cabbage to remove this.
If you're making wedges, leave a thin white layer to hold the leaves together.
You can leave the cabbage in quarters, or cut each one in half to make eight smaller wedges. , Place a cabbage wedge flat on the cutting board.
Bend your fingers inward and hold the wedge in place, so your knuckles are closer to the knife blade than your fingertips.
Slice the cabbage through the outer leaves to the center.
Cut in ¼ to ½" (6 to 12 mm) slices for stews, or shred to ⅛" (3 mm) thickness for sauerkraut or slaw.
You can also shred with a mandoline slicer, a grater with large holes, or a food processor's grating disk.
Mandoline blades can be dangerous to inexperienced users, so select a model with a hand guard.You can slice across the wedge for short slices, or along the wedge for longer ones.
Either way is fine for any recipe. , For longest fridge life, leave cabbage whole until you plan to use it.
If you have more than you can cook in one sitting, rub a lemon along the cut surface to prevent browning.
Store in plastic wrap or an unsealed plastic bag, refrigerated, for up to two weeks.
Store shredded cabbage in a bowl, under cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
About the Author
Melissa Kim
Specializes in breaking down complex lifestyle topics into simple steps.
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