The Easiest Way To Store Cabbage Long Term

Cabbage is about as versatile as produce gets. You can add cabbage to canned soup to give it a flavor upgrade, create some textural contrast in a casserole, or go with a traditional briny corned beef and cabbage paired with a fruity red wine. Still, like other produce, you don't always want to use it right after you bring it home from the store. So, what's the best way to store this veg? Chef Richard LaMarita is an instructor of Plant-Based Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education's New York City campus, and he was kind enough to share some best practices for storing cabbage for the long term. 

One thing LaMarita noted was cabbage that has been cut needs to be used quickly. "If it is cut up, use within 2-3 days," he said. After it has been sliced, cabbage's vitamin C within starts to diminish, which will cause it to spoil faster. However, if you have the whole head intact, you can keep it around for quite a while longer without diminishing the quality. How long? "[Cabbage] is hearty and can last a couple of months in a cold refrigerator," LaMarita noted.

LaMarita advised doing a bit of prep work before storing cabbage, saying, "Pull off any old and wilted leaves first." That will keep any potentially spoiling leaves from tainting the rest while it sits in the refrigerator. "Don't wash it until you are ready to use," LaMarita added, as that can encourage bacteria to proliferate. Simply place it in a plastic bag and put the produce in your fridge drawers for best results. 

You get a lot from just one head of cabbage. But if you only use half, that doesn't mean the rest is destined for spoilage quite yet. It can be stored in the freezer but according to LaMarita, there are some steps you need to take to make sure it doesn't go bad. "If you are planning to freeze cabbage," he said, "it is best to blanch it first, then freeze it. If you freeze it raw, you will get some cell wall breakage, so blanching is preferred."

After washing the cabbage, put it in boiling water for about a minute and a half. When you remove it from the boiling water, stop the cooking process by submerging it in ice water and then letting it dry completely. Before you transfer it to a freezer-safe bag, first freeze the cabbage on a sheet pan. 

If you use quality freezer bags like Ziploc Gallon Food Storage Freezer Bags and squeeze out all the air before storing the cabbage, it should be fine for up to nine months. Of course, remember to note the date it was frozen on the bag. LaMarita noted that another method may help stored cabbage last longer if you have the necessary equipment: "Cabbage can also be vacuum-packed which will [further] extend its shelf life."