Alabama White Sauce Kale Slaw

While we all love barbecued meats, it just wouldn’t be a barbecue without a selection of delicious sides. 

Why use kale instead of cabbage

When making coleslaw, traditional recipes are made with shredded cabbage, because it holds up really well to sauce. Whereas, lettuces tend to get soggy once you apply dressing. 

Kale is an excellent alternative to cabbage, because its leaves are tender like lettuce, but they have they’re more meaty than iceberg or romaine, so they can take on your favorite sauce and still maintain crunch. 

There are a few different types of kale. And I’m the first to admit, I am not a kale expert. When I go to the grocery, I just look for a bunch that has curly green leaves. But you can also use the Tuscan kale, which has flatter leaves or the Russian red kale. 

How to prep kale

When making cabbage-based coleslaw, you have to remove the core of the cabbage, because it’s pretty tough. The same principle is true with kale. Each leaf grows on a stem, and the stems themselves are rather tough. 

Separate the kale and rinse it in the sink to remove any dirt or sand. Then, grab the stem at the base and run your knife up and along the stem, allowing the leaf portion to fall off. Discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves.

How long can you store kale slaw

Once the slaw is dressed with Alabama White Sauce, the flavors will really start to come together. The slaw will start to pick up the sweet notes from the carrots and a bite from the red onions. 

I like to serve it after 1-2 hours in the fridge, but it can also be made a day in advance. I do recommend eating it all within three days. Otherwise the leaves will get softer as they start to wilt. 

This recipe makes about 4 cups of slaw, which will give you eight 1/2 cup servings. You can eat it as an entree, as a side or served on top of Smoked Pulled Turkey Sandwiches. 

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