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Sweet And Sour Coleslaw, The Perfect BBQ Side

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sweet and sour cole slaw

Say goodbye to bland coleslaw thanks to this sweet and vinegary recipe

In the South there are two kinds of slaw and the rivalry is as savage as Clemson vs. South Carolina: Sweet-sour vs. creamy. Sweet-sour is vinegar and sugar based. Creamy is mayo or sour cream or buttermilk based (or a blend of them). This sweet-sour slaw is so simple and quick that it is sure to become your go-to side dish for your next BBQ and grilling adventure. Proceed to this page if you prefer mayo based creamy coleslaw.

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Sweet And Sour Coleslaw Recipe


sweet and sour cole slaw
Tried this recipe?Tell others what you thought of it and give it a star rating below.
4.41 from 319 votes
Looking to step up your slaw game? Here is a sweet-sour cole slaw recipe that is sure to impress your guests. Plus, the recipe is super easy to make.

Course:
Dinner
,
Lunch
,
Salad
,
Side Dish
,
Vegetable
Cuisine:
American
difficulty scale

Makes:

Servings: 8 small servings

Takes:

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon Morton Coarse Kosher Salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon whole celery seeds (not celery salt)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (corn oil or salad oil mix are good choices)
  • ¼ cup distilled white vinegar (not cider vinegar)

Slaw

  • 1 pound green cabbage (about half a medium cabbage)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled
  • 1 small white onion
  • ½ bell pepper, any color
Notes:
About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.
Optional additions. Add 3 red radishes for a pinch of heat. Add white radishes if you like a jab of favor. Add a small jalapeño if you like a punch of heat. There are some jalapeño flecks in the picture above because that's the way I roll.
Metric conversion:

These recipes were created in US Customary measurements and the conversion to metric is being done by calculations. They should be accurate, but it is possible there could be an error. If you find one, please let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page

Method

  • Prep. For the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Don't skip the mustard. It's the secret ingredient that gives it life. And make sure all the lumps are whisked out.
  • Read my article on The Science of Slawsome Slaw. Decide how you want to cut the cabbage, carrots, pepper, and onions: Chopped, grated, or hashed and have at it. I like this recipe best when chopped or grated. Now that you've decided, do it. Add the cabbage, carrots, pepper, and onions to the bowl with the dressing.
  • Chill. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour if possible to extract the flavors from the celery seeds and the vegetables. They will give up some water, so don't worry if the mix seems a bit dry and strong at first. Mix it up occasionally so the dressing doesn't pool at the bottom. Taste the slaw and add more of the seasonings to your preference.
  • Serve. When you serve it, mix thoroughly and scoop from the bottom so the veggies have dressing on them.

Nutrition per Serving

Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 308mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1563IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

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Published On: 11/28/2016 Last Modified: 2/13/2024

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  • Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer - Founder and publisher of AmazingRibs.com, Meathead is known as the site's Hedonism Evangelist and BBQ Whisperer. He is also the author of the New York Times Best Seller "Meathead, The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling", named one of the "100 Best Cookbooks of All Time" by Southern Living.

 

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