Fired Up Friday: Cruciferous Culinary Creation

Cabbage is a powerhouse on the grill as well.

Cruciferous Culinary Creation
It’s unlikely cabbage will be the first thing you think of when deciding what to grill this weekend. However, I encourage you to reconsider and give it a try. This nutritionally dense, anti-oxidant vegetable is not just a health powerhouse, it’s a powerhouse on the grill as well. I’ve had friends and family who swore they didn’t like cabbage ask for seconds after trying it grilled. 

The Prep
This is a simple, one-step prep. Simply cut the cabbage in 6 or 8 wedges. You’re pau.

Now, if you want, you can brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with your favorite rub, garlic powder or salt and pepper. However, I skip all of that; grill mine naked. I also don’t add any olive oil or spice to the cabbage.

The Cook
This is almost as easy as the prep but if grilling them naked, you might at least want to throw on an apron in case sparks fly. Simply char your cabbage as desired over medium-hot direct coals. I like mine fairly charred on the edges, like the ones you see here next to the asparagus.

This usually takes about 5 minutes per side.

While the cabbage is still very crisp but charred, remove it from the grill and transfer to a plate or bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest about 10 minutes, allowing the cabbage to steam gently until tender.  

Overcooked cabbage will lose much of its nutritional value so take care not to overdo it.

Serve warm as a side dish or, use the grilled cabbage in any recipe that calls for the cruciferous wonder – kalua pork and cabbage, cabbage soup, corned beef and cabbage, cabbage rolls, etc. Grilling the cabbage even for just a few minutes gives a deep-layered, smoky flavor boost to these recipes. 

Scott Schumaker is president of aio Media and interim publisher of Hawaii Home + Remodeling. He is also an avid barbecuer, who often tempts co-workers by posting images of his culinary feats on his Instagram, @schuboxphoto. We convinced him to share his secrets each week this summer with our readers in our Fired Up Friday blog. His grill smoker of choice is a Big Green Egg he purchased from POP Marine and Fishing. He also uses a Weber Summit gas grill, especially for rotisserie cooking, which he got at AirGas Gaspro Kapolei.