Saturday was cabbage day here. We harvested all the red cabbage (as well as the rest of the white cabbage) from the garden. I think it was about ten heads of red—which seems like a failure of a name considering it’s such a beautiful purple color.
It was washed up and chopped into manageable chunks.
Then sliced on an old wooden mandoline.
After that it was cooked down on in two huge pots on outdoor burners.
Then it was transferred inside where my Mom finished cooking it with all the fixin’s. I’ve always assumed everyone cooked red cabbage the same way but I suppose it’s a German thing. This is similar to how we make it (except no apples. EDIT: I had a brain fart—We put apple sauce in it!) It was left to cool over night. Sunday we froze about 25 quarts.
Since I am currently not eating sugars and there is sugar in the recipe, I asked for a head to be put aside for me to experiment with. That’s what I’ll be doing today—attempting to make sugarless red cabbage. As well as experimenting with the other four heads of white cabbage. We shredded three of them to get five gallons. One gallon I roasted that night. Another (or two) will be blanched and frozen (something neither I nor my parents have ever done before or even thought of doing.) I’m thinking of making a little coleslaw with Greek yogurt instead of mayo. Perhaps I can make my brother some more spring rolls? Or bangers and colcannon? (Though that’s quite a heavy meal for summer.) Perhaps soup to freeze? I’ve made a little of what I call Summer Slaw (recipe soon!) and maybe I’ll make some more. The last head was left whole and I’m thinking of using some of the leaves for some kind of cabbage rolls.
If you have any suggestions for using up cabbage, please share!
I should say that I’m aware that sauerkraut is probably the most obvious use for cabbage but my father and his friend make up a massive batch every fall from heads they buy in bulk up in New York State or out in Lancaster, PA. Though, thinking about it, perhaps I could attempt a small batch for myself? I know some people make it and keep it in the fridge. (They do it in a crock and then can it.) Anyone make sauerkraut? Have suggestions or pointers?
I was tempted to call this post “Apprenticeship” but I stuck with a more obvious title. I’ve been thinking a lot about how lucky I am to be in this position, basically as an apprentice. I am learning from a great gardener (my father, who patiently puts up with all my silly questions) and a great cook (my mother, who has promised to teach me how to make pickles next week!) Add to that the wealth of knowledge and experience I learn from books and the web and from you, darling reader! Yeah, I’m grateful.
Liesl Made 
I love making sauerkraut, and have used these instructions with a lot of success: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/07/old-fashioned-lacto-fermented-sauerkraut.html
I made my last batch back in April at the end of our cabbage season, and have been slowly but surely eating it all this time. It’s kept VERY well in the ‘fridge.
I like your soup idea very much! Cabbage stew is one of my winter favorites, complete with dried hot pepper and a dollop of yoghurt.
My grandmother also makes a more vinegary white cabbage pickle, but we didn’t cover that during her last visit (only had time for vinegar, fermented cucumber pickles, sewing…). She’s become my mentor for all things old-fashioned. I agree with you — it’s wonderful to have people to learn from.
That is so wonderful that you have your Grandmother to teach you these things! Just pounded down some cabbage for sauerkraut tonight. I’m very excited. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. If you have any suggestions for pickles, I’d love to hear. I’m currently researching recipes.
Yum! What a haul! I adapted a recipe from the Food Network that I think tastes great – instead of fennel, I chop cabbage into 1.5 inch pieces (or thereabouts) and toss with 2 cloves chopped garlic, EVOO, Fresh lemon juice, and almonds (sliced) and 1 teaspoon each of sugar, salt and pepper. Roast for 5 minutes at 450, then add some organic cherry tomatoes and roast 5 more.
Make sure everything is well coated, tho, or the flavors just don’t develop like you want them to.
Let me know if you try it?
That recipe sounds delicious. :)
I also don’t eat sugar (except for the natural sugar in fruits and veggies), so I’m looking forward to seeing if anyone has a good recipe for red cabbage w/o sugar.
Sadly what I made didn’t turn out that great.
i love red cabbage, i too make a huge batch to put in the freezer! i make mine with a similar recipe, except i do use apples, i like it without but my boyfriend really needs the apples, or he doesn’t like it.
i freeze white cabbage in without blanching it first, which works fine too. i usually then steam it on top of my pot of boiling patatoes, then make a white bechamel sauce to go with it. makes a good winter meal. coleslaw with some peanuts is great too, i could have coleslaw with every meal. yum.
i wish i could rewind to the days i helped my grandparents harvest their green beans… they used to plant veggies for the entire family, and we all gathered to help with the harvesting and chopping them up… ending up with buckets full of delicious veggies… so many good memories. priceless!
Sound like great memories! I attempted one bag blanched and one bag not blanched to see how differently they freeze.
I loved red cabbage just cooked down and then tossed in tahini and balsamic vinegar with a little squeeze of lemon juice. So good!
That sounds good!
Good for you! Sugars and flour products are devil children. I don’t eat many grains at all, except for particularly good ones. Haha. Having gone from a raw food vegan to a vegan to a vegetarian to a Paleo-tryer-outer, I feel these two simple changes have helped so much: cut sugars (& definitely caffeine) & bready/pastry/carbalicious foods. This can be difficult when you appreciate hobbit-y coziness like I do, but my body & mind feel so much better :]