The Perfect BBQ Side Dish (Carolina Red Slaw) | Food Wishes

Carolina red slaw is tangy, sweet, spicy, and savory, with an irresistibly crispy, crunchy texture. It works perfectly as both a side dish, and a topping for things like pulled pork, burgers, and hot dogs. Plus, this is mayo-free, which means it can safely sit out on a hot picnic table. Enjoy!
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[@Just_Checkin]

Every good Carolina boy knows you take those cores and salt them to snack on while making your Red Slaw!

[@JonO387]

No.

[@kfcfighter46]

I've been making this slaw for years and I'm from Gaston/Lincoln County,, never heard of that.. but to each their own my friend... too bitter for me.

[@CM_Burns]

You are the Tom Brokaw of your Carolina Red Slaw.

[@matthewwhittington-jk9ep]

The dan rather and peter jennings of cold slaw for chef john.

[@atlantisource]

🫡

[@maunarose]

😂 Tom Brokaw ❤😂

[@Guigen]

The ma and pa of your Carolina Red Slaw

[@htoddgriffin4787]

My family opened the first of it's many BBQ restaurants in NC in the 1930's. We were said to have invented this type of slaw, but I always wondered if the idea didn't come from kimchi or some other Asian dish, but the ingredients are basically what goes into Piedmont style sauce, or "dip" as most restaurants in central NC call it. We didn't use sambal or siracha but I'm good with both of these being included. Ours was salt, black pepper, sugar, cayenne, ketchup and apple cider vinegar. We mixed the dry ingredients in a food grade storage bin starting with 100# bags of sugar to give you a sense of scale. Our busiest stores would go through 500# (or more) of cabbage per day, so the dry ingredient batches were made about every other day. This video is pretty timely since I noticed it as I was throwing a 200# pound hog onto my cooker for a party tonight. In a couple of hours I'll be shoulder deep in a 75# pile of chopped cabbage mixing up a batch for family and friends. And yes, I will smell like ketchup and vinegar for the next couple of days. We used a buffalo chopper to process the cabbage and could go through 500# in about an hour, and we used the core. Growing up I spent my mornings processing cabbage, cutting onions for onion rings, and pulling shoulders off the wood fired pits that had cooked overnight. Friends at school either loved me or hated me depending on what I prepped that morning before school. Most of our locations cooked 2000#(raw weight)(yes, 1 ton) of pork shoulders per day, yielding about 1200# usable meat after skin/bone removal post cook, so enough for about 4500 sandwiches or some combination of sandwiches/trays/plates. We were Curtis Meat Packing company's largest customer for many years, and when we sold the last of our restaurants they ceased selling fresh meat.

[@ibew1951]

Thank u for sharing !

[@Just_Checkin]

I grew up in Charlotte. Live in Austin TX now. I need to introduce our red slaw to the TX pork BBQ scene. It would make the best sandwiches!

[@geoffkeller5337]

Thank you for sharing!

[@JonO387]

As someone born and raised in Charlotte I have never heard of this, and I've eaten BBQ all over the state.

[@jasonmiller9180]

​@@JonO387that doesn't mean that it isn't a thing. I grew up in this, didn't know there was a mayo based sauce until I was over 18.

[@31topor]

After all, you are the Charles Babbage of that youngish green cabbage.

[@KomboEzaliTe]

Kinda want to try this on a pulled pork sandwich next time I make some, but I'd definitely go for the jarred red peppers and maybe 50/50 ketchup and bbq.

[@zombiTrout]

I love this slaw on a pulled pork sandwich. They were made for each other.

[@natdatil6830]

Try it on a chopped pork sandwich. That's how they'd do it where this slaw comes from.

[@timclark7507]

I love this. Something other than the mayo based dressing!

[@justme0910]

Look up Krautsalat! It's the German version of coleslaw, with a light, tangy vinegar dressing, green bell peppers, and (ideally) lots of black pepper. Light, refreshing and crunchy.

[@gipsi2001]

Yep. I use olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Definitely no sugar

[@garybegg4547]

There’s something about this guy’s narration. I could listen to him read the phone book. (For the young people reading this, the phone book was the original doxing book, before anyone cared about doxing, lol). It also doesn’t hurt that his recipes are pretty easy to deal with, and are very dee-lish.

[@infoscholar5221]

Frer John, there is a very similar slaw that is traditional to the Alabama/Tennessee border region, i.e., the Tennessee River Valley area, that is used exclusively on hotdogs and burgers, as a topping. IF you are ever in the region, travel along the Tupelo Pike and sample the offerings in the various BBQ or Burger stands there. You won't be disappointed!

[@chrishendley8652]

In Lexington NC we only eat red slaw on hotdogs with mustard and chili. And of course bbq sandwiches

[@chrishendley8652]

As I am from the town that invented red slaw. I would say you are close but no bell pepper is to be used. Hot sauce recommended is texas Pete made in North Carolina also

[@danielbrowniel]

Hey, Chef John, can we get your angle on "sticky toffee pudding"? I had it recently at a british pub in florida and it was amazing.

[@Xperia347]

Made it one year in advance. Didn’t work.

[@domcrotty5784]

That's hilarious!

[@colleenschaefer5333]

The shelf-life of this slaw is a mind blower! 🙏👍

[@michaelknight5382]

As someone from the Piedmont and a chef, I approve of your variation. It is a very underrated and unknown delicacy of NC.

[@DabsNanime]

What part of nc , born and raised never heard of this

[@boogiedaddy3434]

@@DabsNanime I've usually encountered this variation in the western half of the state, from Winston-Salem and Statesville onward toward Asheville. Personally have only encountered it once east of Raleigh

[@DabsNanime]

@@boogiedaddy3434 really that’s crazy my dad’s family born and raised in Asheville but I never heard of this , looks good i definitely need to try it

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

@@DabsNanime Helpful hint? A herd of cattle A herd of horses. A herd of bison. The word heard has the word "ear" in it. It's what we do with our EARS. ⚘

[@DabsNanime]

@@majoroldladyakamom6948 clam down miss English major 😂😂

[@williecunningham3725]

I have been hunting and hunting for your recipe for easy coleslaw making with tri color mix. Did you remove it? It is not coming up at all…I need that recipe. That is my go to recipe from your page!!!!!!!!

[@lekhapratap1652]

I’ll prep this up right now, I think. I have the spare ingredients on hand anyways. I was wondering what to do with these. This turned out to be rather timely! Another great production, chef!

[@gwine9087]

The core is the best part of the cabbage.

[@tritech]

What makes this "Carolina"?... as a native, I've never seen this.

[@jakematic]

Never seen it either. Apparently a Lexington thing.

[@thegreatwal1224]

@@jakematic yup. This is the standard in Lex, you’ll have to ask for mayo based

[@jakematic]

@@thegreatwal1224 Thanks! Not a fan of Lex style que but great to know. Damn... now I want a slawburger lol

[@JonO387]

It's the same vinegar based slaw you'll find all over NC, but for some reason he made it red.

[@uncaringbear]

I just happened to be looking for a non-mayo coleslaw and this looks like the ticket!

[@colleenmahony8803]

I have a couple of picky family members that refuse to eat anything with mayonnaise, including most slaws. This might just be the side dish to try this summer!

[@lenalyles2712]

Sorry this KC/TX woman can't stand Carolina bbq.

[@christopherbrody5290]

Had to laugh at "really do want to use something nice" for ketchup 😂

[@JameysVideos]

On the wider technique of using salt, if I was making a different coleslaw with multiple types of veg (say, cabbage plus carrot and onion) should I use the salt technique on all of the veg together, or still keep it just for the cabbage?

[@unshavenhobo]

looks delicious, thanks for another great recipe!

[@rubypickles1836]

I made this today. I added a bit of celery seed to the dressing. It's turned out fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

[@SS4Xani]

I could see making this and having it serve as the base for a salad topped with some shrimp and/or grilled chicken. :D

[@AaronHahnStudios]

So what did you do with the rest of the cabbage? This is why cooking as a single person is expensive.

[@colleenpritchett6914]

There’s a thousand things to do with cabbage

[@AaronHahnStudios]

@@colleenpritchett6914 And I am to eat ALL of it before it goes off?!

[@colleenpritchett6914]

@@AaronHahnStudios buy a smaller cabbage. You can use it in soups, stews, dehydrate it, make cabbage rolls, sauté it up. I’m small and I don’t through any out when I buy one.

[@mcgee227]

That specifically comes from Lexington, NC. Where I was born and raised, and still live. 57years. There is no ketchup in it. It's tomatoe sauce white vinegar red and black pepper, sugar and salt.

[@andrewmcmillan229]

Ketchup is just tomato, sugar, vinegar, and salt anyway, so using ketchup vs tomato sauce doesnt really make a difference

[@purpleshoespurp3462]

Did you see the person say they been all over the Carolinas and never head of this type of slaw? How do you profess to be a Carolina bbq expert and never been to Lexington lmao.

[@teriw4329]

Red slaw with my pulled pork sandwich at the Lexington Barbeque, heaven on earth!

[@rcmaniac25]

I remember asking a family member in NC for a recommendation of a BBQ restaurant near them. They said they didn't have one. After investigation, I found out that there was one. They didn't like it and their entire opinion came from the red slaw. We went and had the meats and non-red slaw (they had both red and not-red) and found it to be very good. Now I'll need to send them this recipe to try and convince them it's good.

[@Skauri]

My grandma always used a cheese grater. Sooo much easier and best "cut".

[@deb8911]

I’ve lived in north and South Carolina since 2002 and have ever seen this before

[@JonO387]

Because it's not a real thing. Apparently it's the vinegar based slaw you find all over NC but for some reason they made it red, which I have never seen in NC.

[@clarencegreen3071]

It's a thing, alright. I would like to invite you to the Lexington BBQ festival that is held each year in downtown Lexington. It's a big deal with many tens of thousands attending. It's scheduled for October 28 this year (2023).

[@deb8911]

@@clarencegreen3071 adding it to my calendar NOW!

[@Shadowman4710]

@@JonO387 Yeah it exists in and around the Metro Charlotte area. I had never heard of it either but my nephew's in-laws all live in Gaston country and they eat it all the time.

[@RealBigBadJohn]

Do you talk like this all the time around family and friends?

[@LorelLa22]

Thank You!!!! To match our red clay soil and because it is by far THE best cole slaw EVER!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@atrain13851385]

Chef John cooking up delicious meals and hot meme's with right said fred and too sexy protect this man at all costs

[@LisaFenix]

This looks so good!!!! I'm not a big fan of ketchup on its own but your recipes always transform it in a way I really enjoy it!!

[@1timby]

Hmm, I'm thinking that you could use the same process when making regular slaws. Also, I think that adding a little mayo to the recipe might be good as it tends to take the sharp taste away from any vinegar. Thanks for all the good recipes.

[@ronshawver6880]

Nope! No mayo at all in this recipe. Don't even "think" about it!!! lol

[@robertgevere113]

This looks awesome but has anyone tried to make it without the sugar? I was totally onboard until Chef Jon dumped the white granules of doom into his mixing bowl. :(

[@pollauritsabrahamsenjq1618]

Onions work as a sweetener sometimes

[@jakematic]

As a North Carolinian who's been to practically every bbq joint in both states... God only knows where this idea came from. It ain't nothing anybody around here's ever heard of.

[@purpleshoespurp3462]

You never been to High point then obviously. Kepleys bbq has the best. It’s all over NC. Your missing out.

[@jakematic]

@@purpleshoespurp3462 yep been to HP but never that place. I'll pass on fake bbq sauced slaw thanks lol

[@andrewmcmillan229]

I don’t believe you are as much of a Carolina bbq expert as you think if you have never tried red slaw. And I’m sure “everyone around there” doesn’t appreciate you speaking for them 😅

[@gregrowan843]

South carolina right here and I don't think I've heard of it either BUT I also don't like slaw

[@jakematic]

@@gregrowan843 not a huge fan either but some places make it good. Was just thinking about the old haunts and how I want SC style now too

[@CheeseDud]

Heads up the AllRecipes article says South Carolina -- this is a North Carolina food :)

[@Hannah_The_Heretic]

Tomato sauce in coleslaw? ......no thanks 😅

[@SG-wq4rm]

Young cabbage....not possible in US 😁

[@mi6438]

This looks so good❤

[@billburks58]

Reminds me of Stameys in Greensboro.

[@ijustwannaleaveacommentony6511]

how do you go about washing a cabbage like that?

[@kiraward1125]

Ketchup in coleslaw is odd, but no odder than my attempts at making a slaw that has no mayo and is not too sweet or sour.

[@htoddgriffin4787]

Try rice wine vinegar. It might work for you. Less bite.

[@lindis2660]

Looks delicious. Will be making this soon. I love the perfect green onion flower you made as garnish. Accidentally?

[@bryanhardie]

Cabbage Lives Matter.

[@kimberlycornelius7911]

I will,call lexington nc for this !

[@leonelcarita]

I know I won't like it because I hate hate HATE the flavor of ketchup

[@angelbear_og]

We found the non-American! 😉

[@geoffkeller5337]

The pool hall in the town square of Fayetteville, TN had amazing slaw burgers. I bet this would be fantastic on a burger. Thank you Chief John.

[@blueridgepics]

It's refreshing to see someone besides me who hand cuts their cabbage for cole slaw.

[@tonyhedrick7673]

You left out the horseradish!

[@EBDavis111]

I don't know why I do it, but sometimes I like to look up the menus of pubs in England. I guess English food used to be bad, but the stuff I see on the menus now looks pretty amazing. One common thing I see is a side dish that I don't know what it is. It looks to me like it's cole slaw, except it exclusively looks like it's made from purple cabbage, and the dressing looks extra thick and creamy. And I see it in lots and lots of pubs. Brit watchers, is my guess right? Is it substantially different that the American version? If so, you have a recipe?

[@jalontf2]

So I have to tell you Chef, I made this today and when I had just finished it and it was at room temperature, it was unbelievably delicious. Easily a 5 out of 5. I was so excited. Then the longer it refrigerated, the worse/funkier it got. By the time I served, it had dropped to maybe a stinky 3 out of 5. Any idea what could have caused this from a food perspective??

[@lepusmalignis1628]

That is trippy. I *want* to make some, but I'll have to wait for one of our groupings to justify it.

[@Hupaju]

My wife hates ketchup, but loves coleslaws. I wonder what she will think of this.

[@OrlaQuirk]

I'd love to know if your wife likes it! I'm not crazy about ketchup, but I do like some cole slaws. I'm afraid I might not like this, and my family is very fussy. Maybe I could make it for a pot luck, and attempt to get a bunch of Hoosiers and Michiganders to try it.

[@dianeladico1769]

Someone above used chili sauce which is kind of a ketchup cousin but maybe that's an option?

[@daalelli]

@@OrlaQuirk as a Hoosier, I'm interested!

[@charlesneedham3118]

Chef John, this is actually "Lexington Style Slaw". You're not gonna find this anywhere else in North or South Carolina, only in a very tiny town within the Piedmont. Everywhere else uses Mayo.

[@michaelknight5382]

Partially true. I am from the Piedmont and you are correct that we own that style; however, as you move eastern NC the vinegar stays in most of the bbq sauces and even the cole slaw, just without the use of ketchup.

[@htoddgriffin4787]

My family operated BBQ restaurants from Lexington to High Point/Greensboro, Burlington, Durham, Raleigh, all the way out to Wilmington. We served this slaw in all of them, but you're correct in that east of Greensboro all of our competition served either mayo or mustard based slaws, or even some with just a vinegar and spices. Stamey's BBQ in Greensboro/High Point, and Country BBQ in Greensboro still serves this type of slaw exclusively.

[@ronshawver6880]

@@htoddgriffin4787 Hey there. What was the name of your restaurants if I may ask? Love Stamey's by the way. Been years since I was there.

[@JonO387]

This is false. I am in charlotte and have never seen this before but I have had plenty of vinegar based slaws all over the state. I have just never seen anything red like this before.

[@charlesneedham3118]

@@JonO387 Charlotte isn't the Piedmont.

[@spinni81]

I often substitute kohlrabi for cabbage in any kind of coleslaw because it's a smaller veg and more manageable for a two person household. I will try this one with kohlrabi.

[@BluetheRaccoon]

My family hails from NC, and I can't fathom eating this. I love coleslaw and am rather a snob about it, and this awful.

[@ronshawver6880]

It's a western / Lexington thing. It's actually really good.

[@JonO387]

@@ronshawver6880 Except it's never been red before.

[@mattrandall2008]

I made this with red cabbage and without the sugar, and it was delicious! I've never really liked mayo with cabbage, so using barbecue and tomato sauce has opened my eyes to new ways of making slaw. Thanks, Chef John!

[@Chief_Tyrol_]

WASH YOUR LETTUCE!

[@starlakelsey2782]

I know the prep on cutting the cabbage like this is going to improve my slow by 100%! I have the original NC bbq sauce recipe. Not like what you made but I never got the slaw right. I can make slaw like I grew up with now though.

[@missmiko1]

I'm from coastal NC and have never heard of this. Amazing what you learn.

[@sweetpeas8206]

Maybe South Carolina slaw. But as a North Carolinian? Don’t lump us into this mess. Duke’s mayo, dill pickle relish, celery seed. THAT’s North Carolina slaw.

[@johnleden1909]

I use Heinz Chili Sauce for the ketchup and Cholula for the heat. Works very well with pork or fried fish.

[@dianeladico1769]

Excellent, thanks.

[@ayendijimenez9483]

I need you on tiktok!!!

[@--sql]

Okay but is it crunchy and/or crispy?

[@htoddgriffin4787]

Crunchy. Will hold for several days before it loses it's crunch.

[@gypsyrhodescovers]

If you live anywhere near Gastonia NC, you know about R.O.'s slaw. I wish Chef John would take that on! I've been trying for years to replicate it since I live in SC now.

[@JonO387]

Nah, most people anywhere near Gastonia avoid it like the plague.

[@bustedbenz]

Born and raised in Lexington - generally this isn’t referred to as “coleslaw” but rather “slaw” or “bbq slaw”. Around here if you say “coleslaw” you’re getting the typical mayo-based stuff. But, I don’t know what’s up with all the Charlotte folks saying this isn’t a thing, because red slaw is the default slaw you get at any bbq place between Greensboro and the mountains unless you specifically say “coleslaw” which means you want the white mayo sauce instead.

[@clarencegreen3071]

Agreed! I've lived in Lexington for 40 years, within a mile or so of Lexington BBQ. I would add that the real-deal bbq slaw is not spicy (hot) nor does it taste sweet or like ketchup. What really turns me off is mayo-based coleslaw that is sweet. It's an outrage!

[@marilynturcotte5304]

Printed and going to be used tomorrow night!! Yummy

[@Rosagale1012]

Rocky River Springs Fish House in Norwood NC adds tomatoes to slaw. Just tomatoes, not a lot. It’s super addictive.

[@ballsthatclank]

Redneck kimchi

[@amberjones9520]

Red slaw goes PERFECTLY with pork. Especially with a vinegar based BBQ sauce.

[@minxey1107]

This was incredible! Tangy and really tasty. Do not skip the salting!

[@manxology]

Lived in the South my whole life including South Carolina. NEVER have I seen red slaw! Ridiculous.

[@laurabutler6253]

My sister and me used to ride our bikes down to the local Lays store in Alabama, and they served red slaw on a roasted hot dog, steamed bun, and the slaw was hot too. So unbelievably good, been trying to find that recipe for decades, hope this one is it this time. Lovely "slaw dog".

[@ronmexico1652]

The only acceptable side for Carolina "BBQ" is the old coffee grounds and everythibg else in the trash can where it belongs! Nothing but vinegar-drowned shredded cardboard!

[@joycebirchfield6079]

Really enjoy your channel, but I must say....my entire family intensely disliked this recipe, which I followed to the letter!

[@BeachPeach2010]

My grandpa loved a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw on it.

[@jmenter1]

I'm not sure what "really nice ketchup" is. My store had ketchup, catsup and something called ketchsup??

[@Mantelar]

I lived in NC for 15 years and never saw this. Surprising because the sauce is similar to the BBQ sauce used there. I guess I didn’t get out much. It’s also a fat free bbq side dish…

[@elementalslap619]

For some reason KZbin turned off notifications for your channel awhile ago so I thought you stopped uploading. Guess I've got some catching up to do.

[@retroballer7166]

Incredible idea, you have done it again. Will definitely try this.

[@mima7113]

❤❤❤

[@internet_introvert]

That cabbage's guts aren't big enough to use a food processor. Don't be like Doomguy. Don't rip and tear.

[@GHOSTSrunning]

I tried this. The apple cider vinegar was a bit strong. Maybe because it was the bottom of the bottle. Not sure, but I'll do less next time or use a different vinegar

[@richardengelhardt582]

Yuck!

[@RedJoker9000]

At 5:56 he said he'd try to stop talking about salt. However within 10 sec he does again. Hehe/lol.

[@karenbrower9952]

Clean the food processor or clean the knife and cutting board. Where's the labor savings again?

[@jimday6244]

Fortunately, I have a food processor that has rotating KNIVES in it rather than the rotating hands that pull and tear my cabage.

[@ClintGreasewood]

American kimchi

[@tracyrichards5035]

How can you call this coleslaw when you have diced/minced the cabbage? Surely there are rules.

[@Treeswing]

Nice! You can also call this a curtido. It’s a super easy way to prolong your salad.

[@soulbot119]

hmmm, I make curtido and I would *never* dream of putting ketchup in it, but I will of course try this recipe because it's so simple and I usually like CJ's recipes

[@longsleevethong1457]

Sugar is a big NO….and I’m southern af and we do not put sugar in much of anything.

[@michaelnicola5210]

Love this recipe but I have to admit it made me sad to see you toss the cabbage core when we were kids we would fight over them,dipping them into salt and eating them. I still do it to this day.

[@gypsyrose-qq9nz]

i dont like ketchup , but i will try it as is . see how i like it . Ill also add some carrots and maybe some other crunchy veggies

[@BigBobDookie]

It's all about the rippin' and a tearin'.

[@robmyrick3960]

I've been in & around NC for the last 50 years and have never seen this slaw. Is it a SC thing?

[@fireantsarestrange]

I don't want ketchup in my slaw dude.... Just NO

[@tomstestkitchen]

Interesting, I always thought red cabbage was used in this slaw.