The first step before you do anything is to wash the cabbage. Even though we will be removing the outer leaves, don’t skip this step. After your wash the cabbage, remove the few most outer leaves, the leaves that might be wilted or damaged. We want to use the crispiest, freshest part of the cabbage for the best flavor, texture and recipe results.

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You’ll want to use a sharp, high quality knife for cutting cabbage. Start with placing the head of cabbage on its side, securely holding it in place and slicing off the bottom root of the cabbage. You can then throw away the root.

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Next, put the bottom (the root side of the cabbage you just cut off) down onto the cutting board. Slice the cabbage in half all the way through.

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Put the flat side of one of the halves you just cut down onto the cutting board like this:

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Cut each half of cabbage in half again to create four quarters.

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After you cut the cabbage into quarters you can wash the cabbage wedges in a colander with running cold water. Shake them dry or dry them with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels the best you can.

Now here’s where it becomes different depending on whether you want to chop or shred the cabbage.

Chopping Cabbage

You’ll start slicing the quarters of cabbage along the short edge like this:

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Again, putting the flat, cut side of the cabbage down onto the cutting board. Repeat this for all four quarters of the cabbage. Then, you’ll chop the slices you just cut into chunks. Watch those fingers! Using a claw grip is recommended.

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And continue to chop until you achieve the desired size.

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Shredding Cabbage

To shred cabbage, repeat all the steps but instead of slicing the cabbage along the short edge, you want to slice the cabbage very thinly along the long edge like this:

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The key is to slice it very thin! This is ideal for making coleslaw.

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Repeat for all quarters of cabbage and that’s it! 

READ MY POST FOR OTHER METHODS FOR SHREDDING & FREEZING CABBAGE.

Cut cabbage should be stored in an airtight container, preferably glass, and kept in the refrigerator for up to three days. A whole head of cabbage will keep fresh in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.