How to Clean Cabbage

Before you cook that cabbage, studies suggest you wash it before beginning to cook it. Read the following for tips on how to clean cabbage.

Steps

  1. Image titled Clean Cabbage Step 1
    1
    Clean with water. Taking your cabbage, place it underneath the running water. Using your hands or a vegetable scrubber, gently start scrubbing the cabbage. Make sure to leave no space uncleaned. Also make sure not to miss cleaning the inside as well. Sometimes dirt can be hidden deep within so make sure to be thorough. When finished cleaning, pat down dry with a paper towel.
  2. Image titled Clean Cabbage Step 2
    2
    Don't use cleaning detergents with added scents. For general use in the kitchen, avoid using cleaning detergents with added scents. They can leave an unwanted taste on the food or contaminant the food. Also a tip to bear in mind is not to use scented detergents with cooking utensils as well.
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  3. 3
    Douse the cabbage in vinegar water, if desired. An old trick to use is to leave the cabbage lightly doused in vinegar water for a couple of minutes before proceeding to wash the cabbage with water. Usually between two or four minutes. Vinegar kills some types of bacteria and helps killing mold and mildew that could have grown on the cabbage.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    I picked a head of cabbage from my garden, doused it with vinegar, and while I was rinsing it off, it split in half. Why would this happen?
    Caeiia
    Caeiia
    Top Answerer
    You might have handled it roughly. If there are rotting/black parts, that's a reason, too.
  • Question
    Do I leave the large outside leaves on the cabbage to cook?
    Caeiia
    Caeiia
    Top Answerer
    If they aren't too dirty, browned, ripped up, or spotted, yes.
  • Question
    Do I separate each cabbage leaf?
    Caeiia
    Caeiia
    Top Answerer
    You don't have to. Just chop it up to use!
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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

  • Running water
  • Vinegar
  • Hands or a vegetable scrubber
  • Cabbage

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About This Article

Tested by:
wikiHow Video Team
wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 131,620 times.
52 votes - 80%
Co-authors: 4
Updated: April 9, 2022
Views: 131,620
Categories: Cleaning Food
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