Red cabbage is one of those hardy veggies that can actually last quite a while if you treat it right. Whether you’ve got a bumper crop from the garden or just picked up a beautiful head at the farmers market, the fridge and the cellar are your best bets for storage. Let’s dive into how to keep that cabbage crunchy and fresh!
Storing Red Cabbage in the Refrigerator
If you aren’t planning to cook your red cabbage immediately after harvesting or buying it, it needs to head straight to the crisper drawer of your fridge. Whatever you do, don’t leave it sitting in a bowl on the kitchen counter—it’ll dry out faster than you’d think! To keep it fresh for as long as possible, keep the head whole. For an extra layer of protection against wilting, you can wrap it tightly in some plastic wrap.
Keep in mind that with supermarket cabbage, it’s hard to tell exactly how long it’s been sitting on the shelf, so you’ll want to use those heads sooner rather than later. However, if you’ve just harvested a fresh head from your own backyard, it can easily hang out in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Just a quick tip on prep: make sure to brush off any dirt, soil, or lingering garden critters first. Give it a good once-over for any soft or bruised spots, too. But here’s the golden rule: don’t wash it until right before you’re ready to cook! Adding moisture too early is a recipe for rot and will definitely shorten its shelf life.
Cellar Storage and Freezing Tips
If you’re lucky enough to have a root cellar or a cool basement, you’ve got a great spot for long-term storage. For the best results, your cellar should be:
- Chilly (ideally around 35-36°F),
- Dry,
- Dark, and
- Spacious enough for good airflow.
The pro move for cellar storage is to hang the cabbage. This allows air to circulate around the entire head and prevents those “flat spots” or rot from developing where the cabbage touches a shelf. Just prep the head as mentioned before, tie a string around the base, and hang it up. Using this method, your cabbage can stay fresh for up to six months!
Of course, freezing is always a solid option—after all, we’ve all seen the bags of frozen red cabbage at the grocery store. You can easily do this at home, too. Just shred the cabbage into fine strips and give them a thorough wash. I usually recommend blanching the cabbage briefly before freezing; it helps it shrink down so it doesn’t take up your whole freezer. Once bagged up, your red cabbage will stay good for six months or even longer.
