Stewed Cabbage Recipe (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.

To reduce the likelihood of experiencing gas after eating cabbage, consider cooking it thoroughly. This can help break down the fibers and make it easier to digest. Additionally, try adding caraway seeds or fennel seeds to your cabbage dishes, as these spices are known to help reduce gas.

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.

For 6 cups of chopped cabbage, in a large skillet heat 2 to 3 tablespoons cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped cabbage. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir cabbage 4 to 6 minutes, or until cabbage is crisp-tender.

Sugar: Plain ol' granulated sugar, the amount also to taste. It brings out the subtle, natural sweetness of Southern Fried Cabbage.

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.

Cabbage is rich in fiber and glucosinolates and helps the body retain water. It helps maintain the bulkiness of the food as it moves through the bowels and thus treats constipation.

Beans. It's hardly a surprise to see beans atop the list of bloat-causing foods. After all, the legendary powers of this legume have even captured the attention of lyricists: Beans, beans, the musical fruit… Science is behind that tune, explains Czerwony.

It also keeps you regular, and it could help lower your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and control your blood sugar. Cabbage also has nutrients that keep the lining of your stomach and intestines strong. Its juice also can help stomach ulcers heal.

And that smell? That is due to the sulphur present in cabbage. The more you cook it, the stronger the smell of sulphur. It has been suggested that you put a slice of bread or lemon juice in the water you are using to cook the cabbage, in order to limit the odor.

What is not to be used with cooking green vegetables? ›

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.

To ferment vegetables, such as cabbage, we take advantage of these two qualities – it's our golden ticket to fermentation! First, we add enough salt to make it difficult for competing microorganisms to survive. The salt then draws moisture out of the cabbage's cells through osmosis, forming a salty brine.

Boil it. In general, cooking makes vegetables easier to digest, which can help reduce gas. To retain the nutrients in the cabbage that would be lost when you drain the water, try cabbage soup or Mexican cabbage roll soup.

Cook uncovered at a simmer or gentle boil.

Shredded cabbage can cook for about 5 minutes and wedges will take 10 to 15 minutes to cook.

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.

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.

As long as they are acidic they stay red, but when they become non-acidic they turn blue. When you sauté red cabbage, the acids evaporate off and it can turn blue. All you have to do is add lemon juice or vinegar to bring back the bright red color.

Adding vinegar to the water (1/2 cup distilled white vinegar per 1 cup water), followed by a clean water rinse, has been shown to reduce bacterial contamination but may affect texture and taste. After washing, blot dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner to remove excess moisture.

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).