
Charred Jalapeño Coleslaw. Give me a half a cabbage and I can work a miracle. So can you. Really. A cabbage miracle. You may not think that cabbage is miraculous. You may even question yourself when you buy it. But summer is here and you figure you’ll probably have to make a stupid, boring coleslaw at some point for some dumb barbeque. Cabbage may not be sexy, but a properly stored cabbage seems to last forever in the refrigerator. So you buy it, just to be coleslaw ready, but you don’t feel good about it.
That’s because coleslaw has become a side dish that’s lost at sea. It’s fallen between the cracks and gone astray. Coleslaw gets pushed to the back of the buffet, next to the melba toast, where it sits, practically forgotten, waiting for a miracle. The funny thing is– cabbage miracles are easy to perform. Slaw doesn’t have to be a listless mulch of cabbage and carrots. Miracle Whip is not the miracle to which I refer.
Before we get to the coleslaw miracles lets discuss the coleslaw sins:
- Too much dressing. Whether it’s mayo, vinegar or fruit juice. A proper slaw should not swim in its dressing.
- Mushy slaw. Contrary to popular belief coleslaw doesn’t always “get better the next day”. In fact most slaws, when left too long in their dressing, simply die a limp and languid death. If you don’t believe me simply pick up a Styrofoam tub in the “deli” section of your grocery store. I guarantee it’s been sitting there long enough to prove my point. There are exceptions. Pickled slaws can get better with time spent stewing in the refrigerator. But honestly, I prefer most pickle trays to an overly pickled slaw.
- Too many ingredients. Slaw is not the time to clean out the refrigerator. Find another use for that week-old caviar, and don’t mix chutney with milk. My favorite slaws feature just three maybe four contrasting flavors bound together with a simple but flavorful dressing.
Once you know what not to do, the path to glorious coleslaw is easy to follow. Be creative. Brighten up the concept with seasonal fruit. Fresh herbs make the medley modern. Extras like cheese, nuts, and dried fruits can transform coleslaw too. Don’t forget, nobody says you have to use cabbage either. Sturdy lettuce such as frisée can provide the backbone you need.
Charred Jalapeño Coleslaw
But if you’re like me, you always have a cabbage chilling in the veg drawer. In that case go for a classic coleslaw with a zing. I used Napa cabbage, carrots, and salty cotija cheese. The zing comes from my new favorite dressing. It’s a vinaigrette made with charred jalapeños and reduced tangerine juice. I seem to always have it around this summer. It’s just the thing for whipping up miracles. GREG
The Napa cabbage photograph appears courtesy of and editorial partnership with Shutterstock.
Jalepeno in slaw! LOVE the way you think — and also not gloppy, loaded with mayo, and not using the entire contents of the fridge in this one — totally agree!
Cole slaw doesn’t get second billing with me, it is one of my favorite BBQ sides. I agree with your three typical slaw mistakes. Slaw is definitely best fresh. If I’m cooking onsite, I can’t even bring myself to make the slaw 8 hours in advance, I’ll just bring the sliced veggies and keep the dressing seperate until about 2 hours before service when I’ll mix them together. That’s even more important with Napa, love the stuff, but it wilts in slaw faster than anything.
I really like the idea of using charred jalapeno in slaw, great addition. Excellent post. I have two pork butts smoking away right now and you’ve got me craving slaw at 9:20 in the morning.
You are so funny! Cabbage might just be miraculous after all! Really, this sounds super delicious. Add the the word “charred,” and I’m in.
I adore cole slaws (even the soggy leftovers! ). Your spiced up version sounds irresistible!!!
I make mayo-based coleslaw, but really prefer one made with vinegar and oil. And jalapeno is always welcome. Very nice — thanks.
Love this slaw and will definitely keep it in mind when I’m asked to bring salad(s) to the next bbq.
Gotta try that dressing. Jalapenos and tangerine juice sounds perfect!
Hooray for cabbage! It’s such a maligned vegetable, and why? It’s so clearly excellent in every way. 🙂 Love the idea of this super-spicy and tangy coleslaw!
Oh man! If I hadn’t already picked up supplies for tomatillo salsa, I’d be bringing this to a barbecue tomorrow.
Whipping up miracles is infinitely better than Miracle Whip. Glad to see you using Napa cabbie — my preference for slaw. Still need to make a batch of this vinaigrette.
Guilty! I try not to, but definitely over-do the mayo. A wonderful summer slaw recipe, Greg…next time I make fish tacos, going to top it with this one!
Looks/sounds slawsome!