Slice and Dice: Cabbage

Hardy, affordable, and ever-giving, cabbage is a workhorse in the kitchen. It's packed with vitamin C goodness and makes a great culinary companion year round. Use these tips to add the cancer-fighting cruciferous to your home menu. 

How to Select and Store Cabbage

Select a cabbage that feels heavy for its size and has crisp, tightly packed leaves. Carefully examine the stem end. If it’s cracked, take a pass as it's a sure sign of aging. The snug-fitting layers loosen when chopped and yield much more than you might expect. Unless you need an ocean of cabbage, opt for heads that are small to medium sized. Cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Be sure to keep it wrapped tightly in plastic.  

How to Core Cabbage

Remove the outer leaves.

Place the cabbage on a cutting board with the stem side up. Using a chef’s knife, slice it in half, lengthwise through the stem end.

To remove the tough core, place each cabbage half on the cutting board face down, and cut in half (again, lengthwise through the core) to create four quarters total.

Place a quarter of the cabbage on the cutting board with the cut sides facing up. Slice out the core, cutting away from you. Repeat with remaining cabbage quarters.

How to Shred Cabbage

Place one of the cored cabbage wedges on a cutting board with one of the two cut sides facing down. Starting at one end, slice across it every 1/4 of an inch, width wise. Separate the cut strands by gently tossing them with your fingers. Repeat with remaining wedges.

Place one of the cored cabbage wedges on a cutting board with one of the two cut sides facing down. Slice across the wedge in one-inch intervals lengthwise, holding the cabbage wedge together as you make each cut.

Rotate the wedge by 90 degrees and slice across it in one-inch interviews crosswise to create bite-sized pieces. Repeat with remaining wedges.