Stewed Cabbage Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook cabbage without making it soggy? ›

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add cabbage. (It's OK to crowd the pot because the cabbage will shrink!) Step 2Boil until tender, about 5 minutes for shredded cabbage and 10 minutes for wedges. Drain on a paper-towel lined plate to dry.

Adding baking soda to your boiling cabbage can help reduce the objectionable smell and maintain the green color long after when it typically turns grayish from cooking for too long. However, this may rid the cabbage of its nutritional value.

How to boil cabbage. Put the cabbage leaves or shredded cabbage in a large pan and cover halfway with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 3-5 mins or until tender.

The salt pulls moisture out of the cabbage, seasons it, and leaves you with a super-crunchy texture that isn't raw or tough-tasting. Rinse! Rinse well to purge the salt.

As it approaches the boiling point, the enzymes will be inactivated, so no more pungent, bitter compounds will form. Cook only until the cabbage is tender, but no longer. The hot water will leach a lot of the unwanted compounds from the cabbage, making it taste milder than either stir-frying or steaming.

Simmer, covered, until the cabbage begins to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the cabbage carefully, and continue to simmer until the cabbage is tender, an additional 5 minutes. The cabbage is ready when a small paring knife inserted into the thickest part of the cabbage near the core slides through easily.

Add about 8 cups of water to a pot.

The key to cooking cabbage: Don't overcook it.

Cabbage is sweet and aromatic when cooked correctly. But the same sulfuric compounds that provide many of its health benefits can turn saboteur when overcooked, creating a pungent, unpleasant smell.

Add herbs. Adding the right herbs can also help ease digestion. A few of Cording's favorites that pair particularly well with cabbage include ginger and turmeric.

What does cooked cabbage do to your stomach? ›

It helps improve digestion

If you want to improve your digestive health, fiber-rich cabbage is a great option. This crunchy vegetable is full of gut-friendly insoluble fiber, a type of carbohydrate that can't be broken down in the intestines.

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.

The salt will draw out excess water from cabbage while helping preserve the crispiness. After letting it sit for an hour or two, rinse it with water to remove the salt. Drain and dry the cabbage with paper towels, gently pressing to release excess water. Repeat with more paper towels as the water is absorbed.

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.

Cooking green cabbage too long

This can be especially noticeable when boiling or simmering cabbage for an extended period. But, it's not just the bad smell you have to contend with. Overcooking cabbage causes it to become mushy and limp. It can also lose its vibrant green color.