Scouse Pickled Red Cabbage
Crisp, tangy shredded red cabbage steeped in spiced malt vinegar, providing the essential sharp crunch alongside a warming bowl of Merseyside scouse.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 48 kcal
Equipment
- •Large colander
- •Medium saucepan
- •Clean tea towels
- •Sterilised glass jars
- •Wooden spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 48 kcal
- fat
- 0.2 g
- carbs
- 11 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 1 g
- calories
- 48 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the shredded red cabbage into a large colander and toss thoroughly with the sea salt.
- 2
Leave the colander in the sink for two hours to draw out moisture and keep the cabbage crisp.
- 3
Rinse the salted cabbage thoroughly under cold running water to wash away excess salt.
- 4
Pat the cabbage thoroughly dry using clean tea towels to prevent diluting the pickling liquor.
- 5
Pack the dry shredded cabbage tightly into clean, sterilised glass jars.
- 6
Combine the malt vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, bay leaves, ginger, and mustard seeds in a saucepan.
- 7
Heat the saucepan over medium heat on the hob, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
- 8
Bring the spiced vinegar liquor to a gentle simmer for three minutes.
- 9
Pour the hot vinegar liquor and whole spices directly over the cabbage until fully submerged.
- 10
Seal the jars tightly and leave to cool completely at room temperature.
Chef's tips
For the crispiest texture, ensure the rinsed cabbage is patted completely dry before potting. While delicious after 24 hours, the flavour develops significantly after maturing in a cool, dark cupboard for two weeks. Use non-reactive, vinegar-proof lids on your jars to prevent corrosion.
Ingredient substitutions
- malt vinegar → cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar for a gluten-free version
- granulated sugar → soft light brown sugar for deeper caramel notes
Storage
Store unopened jars in a cool, dark cupboard for up to six months, and keep in the fridge once opened for up to one month.
Reheating
This condiment is served cold or at room temperature and must not be reheated.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the salting stage, which makes the finished pickled cabbage soggy rather than crisp.
- •Failing to dry the rinsed cabbage thoroughly, which dilutes the acidity and shortens storage life.
- •Boiling the vinegar liquor for too long, which evaporates the acidity and mutes spice flavours.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Scouse Pickled Red Cabbage?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from North West England
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
