How To Core Cabbage Like A Total Pro

Cabbage is one of those vegetables you can cook with year-round in the form of coleslaw, stuffed cabbage, charred cabbage, or simply cut up in salads or tacos. There are different varieties of this cruciferous vegetable, but they all have one thing in common — the core.

Despite being edible and nutritious, cabbage cores are usually tossed in the kitchen trash because of how tough they are. Whether you're chopping up cabbage or separating its leaves to stuff, removing the core is an essential step. There are two different ways to do it. Namely, by leaving the cabbage head whole or cutting it up. The method you use will depend on how you plan on cooking the cabbage after.

YouTuber Maureen Abood cores her cabbage whole. Using a really sharp knife, cut around the core at an angle then pull the core out like a plug. The other method has you halving the cabbage first. Start by removing any damaged leaves from the outside of the cabbage. Then, cut the cabbage down the middle, right through the core. Once you have your two halves, cut into the core at two separate angles to form a sort of triangle around the core and pull it out.

The core is a "core" part of the cabbage — it keeps the leaves together. Depending on how you're preparing the cabbage, leaving the core in will prevent it from losing its structure. This is important if you're tossing cabbage wedges on the grill, for example. If you're looking to separate the leaves to make something like cabbage rolls, remove the core first. However, the coring method used is a matter of personal preference for dishes like coleslaw since you're shredding or chopping the rest.

When you remove the core will also affect how to wash cabbage, which you'll need to do to rinse off the gunk on and between the leaves. You can wash each leaf separately, or by section. You can separate the leaves for more thorough cleaning by coring the cabbage early, but don't remove the core before washing when you need the cabbage in sections. If you end up washing and cutting up more than you need, the best way to store cut cabbage to keep it crunchy is to keep it in an airtight container. It only keeps its texture for about three days, so wrap it in plastic wrap to keep it as fresh as possible.

If you (like me) are less than enthused about cabbage but want to try making it exciting, there are ways to do that — like charring and serving it with tahini. It's also perfect for meatless steaks (serve with tahini to make it something special).