This pickled red cabbage recipe comes from my great-grandmother, Harriet Ellen Aston, who we called Grandma Davis or Grandma Hunt.
It was preserved in my Nana’s family cookbook and uses red cabbage, coarse salt, vinegar, and pickling spices.
I’m sharing the original recipe to preserve our family history.
Grandma Davis’ Pickled Red Cabbage Recipe
Historical Recipe Note: This recipe is preserved from our family cookbook. The original instructions do not meet current home-canning safety recommendations and should not be used to prepare shelf-stable preserves.
Ingredients
- Red cabbage
- Coarse salt
- ½ cup mixed pickling spices
- Vinegar, enough to cover the cabbage
Original Recipe Instructions
- Shred the red cabbage very finely.
- Place the cabbage in layers in a large bowl, sprinkling coarse salt between each layer.
- Let stand for 24 hours.
- Wash thoroughly to remove the salt and drain well.
- Place the pickling spices in a cheesecloth bag.
- Boil the spices with enough vinegar to cover the cabbage for 10 minutes.
- Allow the vinegar to cool before combining it with the cabbage.
The original recipe then instructed readers to transfer the mixture into hot sterilized jars and seal them.
Notes from the Original Cookbook
The original recipe included two tips passed down through our family:
- Bowls and utensils: Do not use plastic bowls or utensils when preparing the pickled red cabbage. The vinegar is acidic and can react with certain types of plastic, potentially causing substances to leach into the food. Our family traditionally avoided plastic when preparing this recipe.
- Preventing jars from cracking: Place a knife inside the jar when adding the hot liquid to help prevent the glass from cracking. This is a traditional method our family has used for generations.
For modern food preparation, glass, stainless steel, or other food-safe, nonreactive containers are recommended. Food-grade plastic that is suitable for acidic foods can also be used.
Modern canning recommendations advise warming jars before filling them. Placing a knife inside a jar is not a recognized method of preventing thermal shock.
Food Safety Note: This historical family recipe does not include a tested home-canning process. If you plan to preserve pickled red cabbage for shelf storage, please follow a current, tested canning recipe and review Health Canada’s Home Canning Safety Guide.