Cole Slaw: The Perfect Barbecue Companion
June 30, 2010
•Le Cordon Bleu
•Dallas
• 0 Comments
There might be as many ways to make cole slaw as there are ways to eat it. At its simplest, cole slaw is a salad made from cabbage, carrots, onions, and some type of vinegar or a dressing. More complex recipes include apples, pears, dried fruits, jicama, sour cream, buttermilk, or bacon drippings.
The term cole slaw is derived from the Dutch koolsalade or cabbage salad, although a popular variant uses broccoli instead of cabbage for the main ingredient.
A Cool Salad for a Hot BarbecueCole slaw is traditionally served as a side for dishes like fried chicken and fish. It can also be served as a sandwich topping for hot dogs and a variation of the Rueben sandwich called a Rachel. It’s served with turkey instead of corned beef or pastrami and cole slaw instead of sauerkraut.
While all of those ways to serve cole slaw are great for what they are, the best way to enjoy cole slaw is served alongside a hot plate of Southern barbecue. Whether you like North Carolina-style pulled pork or Memphis-style dry ribs, nothing goes better with Q than cole slaw.
A Slaw for Every QJust as there are different types of barbecue, including meats and sauces, there are different types of cole slaws to go along with them. Memphis-style dry ribs are best paired with a vinegar-based cole slaw to highlight the heat and the seasonings of the meat’s dry rub. While North Carolina pulled pork, with either a vinegar- or mustard-based sauce goes best with a mayonnaise- or buttermilk-based dressing to give some relief to the spice of the barbecue sauce. Cole slaws with fruits added make excellent partners for any meats served with a thick, tomato-based Kansas City sauce.
But to truly get the best out of your cole slaw, you need to put it right on your pulled pork sandwich. If that doesn’t sound all that appealing to you, then you don’t know what you’re missing. Because once you’ve added a creamy and tangy cole slaw to a sweet, spicy, and smoky pulled pork sandwich, you’ll never think of cole slaw the same way again.
Now that summer is here, use these tips to match the right slaw to the right barbecue for your next backyard party.
Tangy Cherry Cole Slaw RecipeThis tangy and fruity slaw is perfect to serve atop a pulled pork sandwich or alongside a rack of Memphis-style pork ribs. It also is great served with chicken, hot dogs, or by itself as a refreshing vegetarian lunch.
Ingredients:- 1 medium head green cabbage, shredded
- 1/4 medium head red cabbage, shredded
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- salt, to taste
Preparation:
In a medium mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, celery seed, and pepper. Mix well, cover, and let stand in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. In a larger bowl, combine all vegetable ingredients and toss to incorporate. Remove dressing from refrigerator and pour over cabbage mixture. Add the cherries and stir to coat all of the cabbage mixture. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Dallas. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Dallas offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training programs in Dallas, Texas. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit
Chefs.edu/Dallas for more information.