When you cut them in half, some cabbages have many, many layers of leaves, thin and tender. Others have relatively few layers, and the layers are thick and tough to chew (and are more bitter, I think.)
So…what do you look for to get the good kind? I know it’s not just size – I’ve had good and bad ones that were small heads, and good and bad that were large.
Related question: sometimes you can buy a small head and it has plenty of layers. Other times a small head has relatively few layers and then a relatively large wood core. I suspect the latter comes from the produce clerk peeling off a bunch of the outer leaves because they’re old/damaged/wrinkled/whatever. Once they trim the stem close, you can’t see what’s happened, but the result is relatively little edible cabbage. :mad: Any tricks for avoiding these ‘peeled’ cabbages?
Er, I should make it clear I’m talking about ordinary green cabbages.
I usually buy half cabbages so I can see what I’m getting. Savoy cabbages tend to be very crinkly but tender and milder than drumheads. A general rule for vegies is to pick one that seems heavy for its size.
I have this great book called The Cook’s Companion by Stephanie Alexander it’s filled with all sorts of information about each key ingredient, and yes, cabbage is on the list. She devotes about 1/2 page to the selection and storage of cabbage.
According to Stephanie: Green cabbage is best bought in the winter. It should be heavy for its size. No outer leaves coming away. Should smell good. The stalk end should be moist
All good advice. Further, look it over for bruised places. A cabbage with a little round hole is inhabited. If an outer leaf on a close head is loose and dried, I remove it and buy that head. On Savoy, or other stand-up cabbages, you can get a bet look at the inner leaves.
Some people call these @@@@@@ cabbages, but you can’t eat 'em.
