Coleslaw and I go way back. Before I was a teenage, I was deemed the chief coleslaw maker in my house. We ate it a lot. My mother was particularly fond of chicken pot pie with a side of coleslaw. That was a winning combination in her book. Food processors hadn’t been invented so I would cut up the cabbage and carrots, place them in a blender, cover with water, whirl and drain. Thinking back, I don’t know how I was able to keep them from being pureed. I used giardiniera instead of sweet pickle relish because my dad thought it was more economical to buy that and mince it and not buy sweet pickle relish.
I never used a recipe. I just threw the ingredients together and tasted as I went along. Fast forward 40 years. I don’t use a recipe. I just throw things together and taste as I go along. Except this time. I wrote the recipe.
1 medium head of cabbage, washed core removed
2 carrots, peeled and trimmed
1/2 to 3/4 cup good quality mayonnaise (I prefer Duke’s)
5 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
Prepare cabbage and carrots.
Shred. Place in large bowl.
Mix together remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour over shredded cabbage and carrots. Mix well. Let the slaw marinate in the dressing for at least two hours before serving, stirring occasionally. The sugar will extract water from the vegetables and the dressing will thin out. Stir before serving.
Sweet Coleslaw
Ingredients
Instructions
Sherri says
*Click click* (That was me bookmarking this recipe!) My mouth is literally watering right now. I.Want. That. Now.
Bring on the bbq’d pulled pork sliders!
Jackie Garvin says
Sherri,
Bar-b-que pork sliders are on our Sunday Dinner menu. I will get that posted up in the next few days. I make a slow-cooker B-b-que Boston Butt.
Darlene Thompson says
same way I make mine, Dukes and all except no sugar.
Jackie Garvin says
Mona Hickey says
Add a little dill pickle juice and a dab of mustard and your recipe would be the same as mine!
Jackie Garvin says
Mona,
Those sound like great additions!
Sandra Johnson Davis says
I wish I had a head of cabbage so I could make this..darn it. I just made your roast with onion gravy. This cole slaw would be a great vegetable to go with it. It’s hot in our house today and cole slaw just would hit the spot! (the roast is great and I’m so impressed with my onion gravy!) Mmmmm Mmmmm Mmmmmm,
Jackie Garvin says
Sandra,
I’m glad your roast turned out! I like to make open-faced beef and gravy sandwiches with the leftovers. You could make coleslaw with that. <3
Sandra Davis says
Jackie I finally made this cole slaw. Wow, I’m not sure what I was waiting for, it’s so good. We had it with chicken wings, and you know where the recipe for those came from!! wink wink.
Jackie Garvin says
Sandra,
I love good coleslaw. It just has a good taste to me and really makes a good side dish for many entrees. 🙂
Cheryl Scott says
I love you recipe. As a teenager I, too, was assigned to make the coleslaw, especially on Sundays when relatives would come to Mobile from Atmore. Your recipe is similar to what I threw together, except for the sugar. I will definitely try that next time.
Jackie Garvin says
I hope you enjoy, Cheryl! 🙂
Judy says
I was the coleslaw maker growing up too. Also made in blender. I never used relish tho. I used a t of vinegar. Havent had a blender for 30 years or so but it was the only thing I could make!!!
Jackie Garvin says
I guess making coleslaw in a blender was a real thing. We didn’t have food processors and I can’t remember when they came around. It was either a blender or a knife.
Joann says
Hi Jackie, This looks delicious. I have been looking for a good Cole slaw recipe, I will give this a try. I do have a question. Do you know how many this will serve? Thanks so much for any help you can give me. Have a wonderful and blessed day. 🙂
Jackie Garvin says
Serves 4 to 6