Red Cabbage

The Red Cabbage is a species of Brassica Oleracea that comprises either red or purple colored leaves. The vegetable is also known as Blaukraut after its preparation. The leaves’ colors change depending on the soil, they will be more purple in neutral soils, in acidic they will grow more reddish, and they will become more greenish in alkaline soil.

 

Red Cabbage consists of an anthocyanin-based dye that may be used as a pH measurement. They are available throughout the whole year.

 

Kingdom: Plantae

Order: Brassicales

Family: Brassicaceae

Genus: Brassica

Species: B. Rapa

Variety: Capitata

Form: Rubra

Binomial name: Brassica rapa var. capitata f. Rubra

Red Cabbage Trivia

• Red Cabbage also has its uses as a natural dye for clothes. 

 

• Red Cabbage contains about 30% more antioxidants than Green Cabbage.

 

• They taste a lot like green cabbage but tend to leave all their color on other food.

Red Cabbage Buying Guide

The same applies when you’re choosing either Red Cabbage or Green Cabbage. The heads should be firm and compact and a bit heavy for their size.

 

You should find several loose leaves and they should look crisp and fresh.

 

You can find cabbage pretty much everywhere, but the red ones will be available at the farmer’s markets and grocery stores.

Red Cabbage Production & Farming in Texas

Cole crops include brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower. They are cool-season vegetables and they’re grown successfully in Texas. Cauliflower and brussels sprouts are a bit hard to grow, while the other two are quite easy.

 

This makes cabbage so popular in Texas, the ease of acquiring something delicious, and highly nutritious. They thrive in partial shade as they love the sun but can’t deal with too much heat. They also require lots of organic matter for their sandy loam soil.

 

Pesticides

 

You shouldn’t be afraid to buy regular Cabbage as it has one of the lowest amounts of pesticides out of any vegetables.

 

The results implied that 86% of cabbages didn’t have a single pesticide residue inside them and only 0.3% had more than one pesticide residue. It’s safe to say that it’s not worth it to grow these vegetables organically.

 

Geography

 

Romans presented Red Cabbage to other European countries in the 14th century. However, the first description of these types of cabbages was found in England in the year 1570. Today, Red Cabbage is grown throughout the world.

 

In Texas, place them in partial shade, fertilize them every few weeks, water frequently, and watch out for the weeds. Also, watch out for some pests every once in a while.

 

Packaging

 

There are different ways to package cabbage and some of the ways to package them are: Plastic or wooden crates, perforated polythene bags, or ventilated cardboard boxes.

Enjoying Red Cabbages

Red Cabbage has its uses in both raw and cooked applications in the kitchen. 

It is sometimes pickled and prepared into sauerkraut. 

They pair well with different textures and rich flavors. Grilled and stewed meats, butter, avocados, chiles, cheeses, and olive oil are just some of the ingredients that compliment them perfectly.

 

Storage

 

To store Red Cabbages, place the whole heads in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator and they can last up to several weeks inside.

 

Cooking

 

Take a large pot and melt the butter over medium heat. Add Red Cabbage that you’ve narrowly sliced, and saute the cabbage for five minutes until it is slightly wilted. 

Add balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with sugar before covering the pot and leaving it to simmer on low heat until the cabbage is tender which is about thirty minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

When Are Red Cabbage in Season in Texas?