Pickled Red Cabbage
This pickled red cabbage makes a delicious side dish, and can even be given as a gift in a fancy jar!
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Pickled red cabbage is easy to make yourself, and so versatile!
It makes a delicious side dish and can be served on top of tacos or burgers, or in sandwiches. It’s a welcome addition to a charcuterie board, and it’s pretty tasty to snack on straight out of the jar, too!
Its beautiful colour means it makes an attractive handmade gift when stored in a nice glass jar.
How to customise your pickled red cabbage
Pickled red cabbage can be as flavourful as you need it to be, and it’s easy to adjust this recipe to suit your taste. The main things you need are the pickling brine (made from vinegar, salt, and sugar) and the red cabbage itself!
You can adjust the spice level of pickled red cabbage to taste. Dried chilli, mustard seeds, and ginger give this recipe a fiery kick that makes it perfect for topping a spicy chicken-style burger, but you can make a less powerful pickle with milder seasonings. Just be aware that if you use fresh ingredients like minced garlic, this can affect the shelf life of the final product.
This recipe can also be adjusted by changing the type of vinegar used in the brine. Distilled white vinegar is commonly used for pickled red cabbage, and gives it a sharp, acidic flavour. Red wine vinegar will give your pickle a more robust, fruity flavour while apple cider vinegar will be sweeter and milder. Experiment with different kinds to find your favourite!
How to store pickled red cabbage
Ideally, your pickle should be stored in a glass jar, with a well-sealed lid. Plastic containers are porous and can affect the flavour and longevity of your pickle.
To minimise bacteria growth, it is ideal to sterilise your jar and lid. If you have specifically bought pickling jars for this, they may come with instructions to help you do this the best possible way. Otherwise, washing the jars with soap, boiling the jars in water, and drying out the glass in the oven is usually the way to go.
When you first make your picked red cabbage, make sure the jars are sealed well and allow the cabbage to sit for at least a week before you use it. Once opened, store the pickle in the fridge for up to a month.
Total Time: 1-4 weeks
Prep Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
Total Time: 1-4 weeks
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
(Servings: 6)
- For the spice
- 0.5 0.5 small, mild, dried chilli peppers
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 heaped tsp peppercorns
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tsp coriander seeds
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 dried bay leaves, roughly broken
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 tsp allspice
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tsp ground ginger
- For the pickle
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 x 568ml bottles distilled white vinegar
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 kg red cabbage, finely sliced
- 0.5 0.5 tbsp salt
- 0.5 0.5 tbsp brown sugar
Method
- Combine the pickling spices in a pan with the vinegar and bring to the boil. Strain the spices and set vinegar aside
to cool completely. - Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl and cover with salt and sugar. Cover and leave to sit for 1 hour.
- Place the cabbage in a colander and rinse off the salt and sugar, before packing it into jars and pressing down well. Fill each jar with enough cold vinegar to cover the cabbage, place a piece of wax paper or parchment at the top of each jar and seal. Store in a cool, dark place for at least a week before using.
Nutritional information per 100g: Calories 33, Fat 0.2g, Saturates 0g, Carbohydrate 5.7g, Sugars 3.7g, Fibre 1g, Protein 0.7g, Salt 2.4g
Use this pickled red cabbage to add an extra kick to your Mushroom Reuben Sandwich!
