Recipes

Charred Cabbage Slaw

The crunchy side for your summer barbecues.

  • Serves

    serves 4-6

  • Cook

    25 minutes

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO

By Chris Shepherd


Updated on August 26, 2021

In this offbeat cabbage slaw from chef Chris Shepherd of Underbelly in Houston, raw red cabbage adds a textural contrast to the grilled green cabbage, and a zippy, spicy-sweet-salty dressing goes well with the charred bits. If you’re looking for a way to balance out all the meaty (or not meaty) things you’re grilling, check out all of our slaw recipes.

What You Will Need

Ingredients

  • 12 cup sugar
  • 14 cup fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp. sambal oelek
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 head green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 red bird’s eye chiles, stemmed and finely chopped
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 14 head red cabbage, thinly sliced

Instructions

Step 1

To a small pot over high heat, add the sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, sambal oelek, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 2

Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium. (Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high.) Brush the oil over the green cabbage wedges and season with salt and pepper; grill, turning as needed, until charred all over, 18–20 minutes. Let cool slightly, then core and thinly slice. Transfer to a large bowl, add the reserved dressing, the chiles, onion, and red cabbage, and toss to combine. Transfer the slaw to a platter and serve warm or at room temperature.

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