Carolina Style Red Slaw
This Carolina Style Red Slaw also know as barbecue slaw, is commonly served with Eastern North Carolina chopped pork barbecue. It features a sweet and tangy red vinegar based dressing making it the ideal side dish to enjoy with any barbecue entree.
Ingredients to Make Carolina Style Red Slaw Recipe
This style of barbecue coleslaw is very different from classic slaw dressed with a homestyle mayonnaise dressing. North Carolinians’ have a two-pronged approach to barbecue. Western North Carolina most commonly serves a sweet tomato based barbecue sauce with smoked pork, beef or chicken. Eastern North Carolina barbecue is most well known for smoked pork made with a spicy and tangy vinegar based mop or “dipping” sauce. There’s usually extra on the side for serving, too. Both ways and bbq versions are delicious, and it really boils down to your personal taste. Read more about the two styles of North Carolina barbecue here on Our State. How to make Red Slaw Carolina Style: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)
- Cabbage – 6 cups finely chopped green cabbage. No fancy cabbage needed.
- Onion – Sweet onion or white onion.
- Carrot – Finely chopped carrot adds texture and flavor.
- Dressing – Ketchup, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, barbecue seasoning and hot sauce.
- Garnish – Sliced green onions or chives for garnishing.
How to Make the Best Carolina Style Red Slaw Recipe
North Carolina pork barbecue calls for a side of slaw. This red slaw or barbecue coleslaw is the kind that always seems to thrill the people who don’t care for mayonnaise based coleslaw dressings.
- Prep the Vegetables – In a large mixing bowl, mix together cabbage, onion and carrot.
- Make the Dressing – In a separate bowl whisk together ketchup, vinegar, sugar, pepper flakes, salt, barbecue seasoning and hot sauce.
- Combine -Pour dressing over slaw, stir well.
- Refrigerate – Place into an airtight container and chill for several hours or overnight.
- Serve – Garnish with green onion or chives and serve with chopped pork barbecue or your favorite barbecue entrees.
Tips for Making Carolina Red Slaw
- Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need: Large bowl, small bowl, measuring cup, measuring spoons, a sharp knife and cutting board or a food processor with the shredded attachment to chop the cabbage and vegetables, a large spoon for stirring and a whisk for mixing together the ingredients for the vinegar dressing.
- Use A Quality Prepared BBQ Seasoning: You may be wondering, what’s the best barbecue seasoning? The best barbecue seasoning or a barbecue spice rub to use for this red slaw recipe, is one that you already enjoy. It typically includes spices like paprika, chiles, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, various herbs, brown sugar or white sugar and ground mustard.
- Finely Chop the Cabbage: This type of red slaw is typically made with finely chopped cabbage. Doing so, allows the flavor of the dressing to really permeate the cabbage and other vegetables.
- Chill Thoroughly: It’s important that you give ample time for the Lexington-style slaw to chill so the flavors will mellow and marry. Preferably make it ahead of time and chill it overnight, if possible.
- How To Serve Red Slaw: Serve red slaw with chicken barbecue, pork barbecue or as a side dish with seafood dishes like fish, shrimp or scallops.
Recipe Variations
- Sweetness: The level of sweetness of the vinegar dressing for red slaw can can be made sweeter adding up 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. It’s usually best to mix the dressing then taste it, and add more sugar to your taste in small amounts.
- Spice: You can make the flavor more spicy by adding more chili flakes or hot sauce to suit your personal taste.
- Quantity: This recipe easily doubles and triples according to the size of the group you’re feeding.
Storage and Leftovers
- Leftovers: Store leftover Carolina Red Slaw in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing raw cabbage as the texture changes and it will break down when thawed.
More Southern Style Coleslaw and Salad Recipes to Make
Coleslaw comes in many forms making it ideal as a side dish to serve with everything from Southern comfort food to barbecue and tacos. More homemade coleslaw recipes you may like to try:
- You may also enjoy my recipe for Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw as a topping or fish tacos.
- You’ll love my Mom’s recipe for making Homemade Cole Slaw Dressing that’s cooked on the stovetop.
- Asian Ramen Noodle Broccoli Slaw includes peanuts and toasted Ramen noodles for crunch.
- Another sweet and tangy vinegar based slaw is my recipe for Hillbilly Cole Slaw.
- You can never go wrong with Southern Style Coleslaw as a topping for hot dogs and barbecue sandwiches.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Carolina Style Red Slaw
Ingredients
- 6 cups finely chopped green cabbage
- 1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot (optional)
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- 1 tsp salt `
- 1 tsp barbecue seasoning
- 1 tsp hot sauce adjust to taste
- sliced green onion or chives for garnishing
Instructions
- In a large bowl stir together cabbage, onion and carrot.
- In a separate small bowl whisk together ketchup, vinegar, sugar, pepper flakes, salt, barbecue seasoning and hot sauce.
- Pour the vinegar mixture over the slaw, mix to combine. Place into an airtight container and chill for several hours or overnight.
- Garnish with green onion or chives and serve with chopped pork barbecue or your favorite barbecue entrees.
Notes
- Sweetness: The level of sweetness of the vinegar dressing for red slaw can can be made sweeter adding up 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. It’s usually best to mix the dressing then taste it, and add more sugar to your taste in small amounts.
- Spice: You can make the flavor more spicy by adding more chili flakes or hot sauce to suit your personal taste.
- Quantity: This recipe easily doubles and triples according to the size of the group you’re feeding.
When making larger batches , say for 100 or more should you use the same ratios for the marinade?
That’s a loaded question as generally speaking it’s not always necessary to double and triple some ingredients. I haven’t tested a batch that big, come back and let us know how it goes!
I see green onions in the picture but no mention of them in the recipe – can you update the recipe with amount and when to add? Thanks.
The green onion you see is mentioned and it’s for garnishing. You can add some finely chopped to the slaw if you wish.
Excellent! The real deal. Makes me miss NC.
Great on BBQ Beef too!
Thank you so much!
Love the cole slaw recipies but what is barbecue seasoning?
There are literally 1000’s of barbecue-seasoning blends. Many well known brands sell them at your local grocery store on the spice aisle. Use your favorite.
Delicious! As good as the best southern bbq joint.
Thanks so much!
Looks great…but what is barbecue seasoning and who makes it? Thanks
There are literally 1000’s of barbecue seasoning blends available online. You’ll find them on the spice aisle of grocery stores made by many different brands or use a regional favorite.