Mustardy Coleslaw Recipe

Name: Mustardy Coleslaw Recipe
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: For the Dressing:; 1/3 cup mayonnaise; 1/3 cup yellow mustard; 1/3 cup cider vinegar; 1/3 cup sugar; 2 tablespoons hot sauce, preferably Texas Pete; 1 teaspoon celery seeds; For the Slaw Mix:; 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; 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.
Yellow mustard gives just enough bite, without overwhelming the slaw with the heavy hand of a hotter and more pungent mustard.
Sugar, mayo, and vinegar make the dressing creamy, sweet, and tangy, resulting in a slaw that has a lot going on, but with a very balanced flavor.

I didn’t become enchanted with coleslaw until I went big into barbecue and learned how to make it properly. Tangy, sweet, crunchy slaw is the perfect foil for the rich fattiness of barbecued meats, and Kenji’s classic creamy coleslaw recipe includes a technique of ridding the veggies of excess moisture, leaving behind a tender, yet crunchy, well-seasoned slaw.

Of all the variations I created (zippy vinegar slaw, Lexington-style red slaw, tangy apple slaw, and a spicy jalapeno slaw), this mustard variation is my absolute favorite. I tinkered with the recipe on and off for years before finding the right balance between creamy, sweet, and tangy, with a mellow mustard bite.

My dressing is made of equal amounts of mayo, yellow mustard, vinegar, and sugar. A bit of hot sauce and some celery seeds deepen the flavor without over-complicating things. I love the balance and depth of flavor of this universal crowd-pleaser.

Adding mustard into the dressing for this coleslaw creates an incredible amount of flavor that won't have you reaching for the standard mayo slaw anytime soon.

June 2014