Carolina-Style Barbecue Slaw

Name: Carolina-Style Barbecue Slaw
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1½ pounds (about ½ medium head) (680 g) green cabbage, outer leaves removed, cored, and finely chopped into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces (about 8 cups); 1 medium (70 g) carrot, peeled and coarsely grated (optional); ½ cup (130 g) ketchup; ½ cup (120 ml) apple cider vinegar; ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed; 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) hot sauce, such as Texas Pete or Tabasco; 1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (Diamond Crystal; use ¾ teaspoon if using Morton); 1½ teaspoons (3 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tangy, lightly sweet, mayo-free red slaw with finely chopped green cabbage in a ketchup-and-cider-vinegar dressing. It's crisp, peppery and made for piling onto pulled pork sandwiches.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: —
Wait: 2 hr
Total: 2 hr 20 min
Makes: About 6 cups (8 side servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

1½ pounds (about ½ medium head) (680 g) green cabbage, outer leaves removed, cored, and finely chopped into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces (about 8 cups)
1 medium (70 g) carrot, peeled and coarsely grated (optional)
For the dressing
½ cup (130 g) ketchup
½ cup (120 ml) apple cider vinegar
¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) hot sauce, such as Texas Pete or Tabasco
1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (Diamond Crystal; use ¾ teaspoon if using Morton)
1½ teaspoons (3 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large non-reactive mixing bowl (4–5 quart / 4–5 L)
Chef's knife and cutting board
Medium bowl or 2-cup (500 ml) measuring cup for the dressing
Whisk
Tongs or large spoon
Plastic wrap or lidded container

Steps

Before you start

Plan for at least 2 hours of chilling so the cabbage softens slightly and absorbs the dressing.
Chop the cabbage fine (about ¼-inch pieces) so it piles neatly on a sandwich; a food processor's chopping blade works in short pulses.
Use a large non-reactive bowl (glass, stainless steel or ceramic) because of the vinegar.

1
Prep the cabbage
- Remove any wilted outer leaves from the cabbage.
- Cut the half head into quarters through the core, then cut out the core from each wedge.
- Slice each wedge crosswise into thin shreds, then chop across the shreds so the pieces are about ¼ inch (6 mm).
- You need about 8 cups (680 g).
- Transfer to a large non-reactive bowl.
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Ready when: Pieces are small, uniform and short enough to fit on a spoon or bun without long strands.
Tip: Chopping too coarsely makes a slaw that slides off sandwiches; pulse a food processor 2–3 times at a time if using one.
2
Add the carrot
- Peel the carrot and grate it on the large holes of a box grater.
- Add it to the cabbage and toss with your hands or tongs to distribute.
- Skip if you want a purely cabbage slaw.
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Ready when: Orange shreds are evenly scattered through the cabbage.
3
Whisk the dressing
- In a medium bowl or 2-cup measuring cup, combine the ketchup, cider vinegar, brown sugar, granulated sugar, hot sauce, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Whisk for about 1 minute.
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Ready when: Dressing is smooth, with no streaks of ketchup and no gritty sugar when you rub a drop between your fingers.
Tip: Taste the dressing now: it should be assertively tangy and peppery, since the cabbage will mellow it.
4
Toss together
- Pour the dressing over the cabbage and carrot.
- Toss with tongs for 1 to 2 minutes, lifting from the bottom of the bowl, until every piece is coated in a light reddish-pink film.
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Ready when: No white cabbage is visible and a little dressing pools at the bottom.
Tip: The bowl will look wet at first; the cabbage releases water as it sits and the dressing will loosen further.
5
Chill and marinate
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, stirring once halfway through, so the cabbage softens slightly and takes on the flavor.
- It can chill up to 24 hours.
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Ready when: Cabbage is slightly wilted but still crisp, and has turned a uniform pink-orange.
6
Adjust and serve
- Stir well, then taste.
- Add a pinch more salt, a splash of vinegar for tang, or another few grinds of black pepper if needed.
- Serve cold with a slotted spoon, or spoon directly onto pulled pork sandwiches.
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Ready when: Slaw tastes bright, sweet-tart and peppery with a clear back-of-the-throat bite.
Tip: Serve with a slotted spoon so the bun doesn't get soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Chop rather than shred the cabbage; the small pieces are the hallmark of barbecue-style slaw.
Don't skip the chill time; freshly tossed slaw tastes sharp and raw.
For a more vinegary Eastern-style slaw, cut the ketchup to ¼ cup (65 g).
Salt the dressing, not the cabbage directly, to keep the slaw crisp.

Make ahead

Make the slaw up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate covered; stir before serving. It's best between 2 and 8 hours after mixing.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; it will soften and release liquid over time, so stir and drain before serving. Not suitable for freezing. Serve cold; no reheating.

Substitutions

apple cider vinegar → white distilled vinegar. Sharper and cleaner tasting; use the same amount, or add an extra teaspoon of sugar to balance.
light brown sugar → granulated sugar. Use ¼ cup (50 g); the slaw will be slightly less rounded in flavor.
green cabbage → pre-shredded coleslaw mix. Use 24 oz (680 g) total, about two 12 oz bags (roughly 8 cups); a single 14–16 oz bag is too little for this much dressing. Chop the mix a few times for shorter strands and skip the extra carrot.
hot sauce, such as Texas Pete or Tabasco → cayenne pepper. Use ⅛ teaspoon in place of the hot sauce.