Cole Slaw

Southern cole slaws come in many shapes and flavors. As a Southerner who has been around the American South, there doesn't seem to be a universal definition of "cole slaw." Two restaurants on the same road, across the street from each other might serve two completely distinct things under the same name. Here's what I've found over the years.

What is it?

Different people call different things cole slaw. The two universal elements seem to be that it is served cold, with cabbage being a primary ingredient.

Cuts

Slaws divide into two cuts, short and long. Long cuts have cabbage cut into strips, about a quarter of an inch wide and 2-3 inches long, while short cuts are finely chopped. Short cuts are cut often into pieces no bigger than a fourth of an inch rectangles.

Bases

Most slaws have a sort of base element holding them together.

Salt and paper

Of those without a base element, I've found them seasoned with salt and pepper. These seem especially difficult to pull off, but eat very cleanly when done well. The balancing act is intense as there's personal tasting preference involved here.

Mayonnaise

The most common base I run across is mayonnaise. These tend to be on the sweeter side with the mayonnaise being a distinct liquid, also like a sauce. Mayonnaise based slaws provide a consistent and reliable experience, but are easily the most forgettable.

Cold and sweeter cole slaw balances out more savory meals. In Memphis, mayonnaise-based slaws often end up placed on top of barbeque pulled pork sandwiches. Initially this looks confusing, but think of it more like a burger with mayo and lettuce.

Vinegar

Vinegar slaws end up tangier than the other variants. They're probably the second most common, and can balance out a sweeter meal. This is bhwere my struggles with these come from. It seems to work better against sweeter versions of baked beans, but not against more savory ones, and it can be rough trying to get a good impression how that side will complement or fight this one.

The flip between sweet and tang of the most common cole slaws can make picking a slaw at a new restaurant a risky endeavor.

Cider

Very rarely I've run across the cider-based slaw. Cider slaws work functionally similar to vinegar slaws, but have surprise factor in them. It's a space that probably could be more explored.

Special Versions

Eisenhower

The finely chopped, mayonnaise-based sweet slaw used to be a stable at old Baptist potlucks in the South in the 90s, but I call them "Eisenhower" slaws since they were made not by my parents' generation, but their parents. I have memories of cabbage being tossed into "food processors", horridly named kitchen tools designed to obliterate their inputs. Eisenhower slaws are more common at barbeque joints that serve pulled pork.

Pickles

I understand some people have a fascination with dill, but as someone who doesn't have this, I still don't understand it. The pickle is the one slaw element that befuddles me. It does add flavor, but it's hard to tell it's in there until the flavor hits.

Grapes

Grapes seem a weird addition to slaws, but I've run across them enough for them to deserve a mention. Normally I'd associate grapes with potato salad, and those that add grapes to slaw seem to really flirt with conflating slaws and potato salads. It can be done well, but it can also be done very poorly, especially since a mayonnaise based slaw with grapes can look close to potato salad.

It's an adventure out there

Cole slaw provides a wide range of expression at meals to fulfill many gaps in a meal. Ever since I started making it a point to try them more often, it's been fun to see the various personalities come through in how people make and use them.