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Forgive me, but this is a very particular question:

I love having pickled red cabbage at Turkish restaurants; it's delicious and the color is always a beautiful deep magenta (see picture below). Yet every time I try to make it at home, it comes out a sad, pale white-pinkish hue (see 2nd picture). I massage the cabbage with salt, let it sit for at least half an hour, and then add a brine of salt, sugar, and about a 3:1 ratio of red wine vinegar to water. Does anyone know where I'm going wrong?

Thank you very much

çok teşekkür ederim

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Dylan Temel
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    ... I don't know on this one. The second picture looks like pickled red cabbage. The one in top looks like beets or something. Curious. – kitukwfyer Oct 10 '20 at 20:12
  • How's the taste compare? Is it possible they're using a spice or something which adds color? I agree the top picture doesn't look like pickled cabbage, definitely looks like something else was added. – Kat Oct 10 '20 at 23:45

2 Answers2

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Are you heating the brine first to dissolve the sugar and salt? I've always heated the sugar and salt in water, poured that over the cabbage while still hot, then add the vinegar (I use white vinegar at room temperature) and mix well. This heating and quick "cooling" should lock in the color.

Michael J Girardot
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  • I've never made pickled cabbage, but german style red cabbage is stewed, and comes out deep red, so it's possible that you're on to something. – Joe Dec 12 '20 at 16:02
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Maybe the temperature needs to be somewhat below 100 degrees C, and then the first answer holds true also, at least for green foods like broccoli. Surely for red cabbage it's the same.

Stilian Theodhosi
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