Jalapeño Coleslaw Recipe

Name: Jalapeño Coleslaw Recipe
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: For the Dressing:; 1/3 cup sour cream; 1/3 cup buttermilk; 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar; 3 tablespoons mayonnaise; 3 tablespoons sugar; 3 tablespoons lime juice plus 1/2 teaspoon lime zest from 3 large limes; 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro; 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (about 3 medium cloves); 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; For the Slaw:; 1 large head green cabbage (about 3 1/2 pounds), finely shredded on a mandoline or by hand; 1 large carrot, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater; 1 large jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced; 2/3 cup sugar; 1/3 cup kosher salt

Why This Recipe Works

A sugar-and-salt mixture purges the cabbage of excess moisture, leaving it tender, but still crunchy, and well-seasoned.
Seeding the jalapeños lessens the peppers' heat and gives this slaw a mild spiciness that everyone can enjoy.
Cumin, cilantro, and lime add a Tex-Mex flavor that compliments the fruity heat of the jalapeño.

Tex-Mex and barbecue are my two favorite cuisines. Since I've managed to cover a pretty decent range of barbecue-style coleslaws, I figured I'd try out a recipe that has a little something in common with my other great love.

Sour cream seemed like the place to start. I threw in some buttermilk with the mayo. I also replaced the vinegar in favor of bright, tart lime juice and added in some supporting Tex-Mex flavors—namely grassy cilantro, earthy cumin, and hot jalapeño. This is the kind of slaw that would be right at home in a fajita.

The trick for a great coleslaw is getting the veggies to release their excess moisture, leaving the cabbage and carrots tender-crisp, and ready to absorb lots of flavorful dressing. Kenji featured this technique in his classic creamy coleslaw, and I employed it when developing my other coleslaw styles: Lexington-style red slaw, mustardy slaw, bright vinegar slaw, and a tangy apple slaw.

June 2014