Apple Coleslaw Approach.....

[Funwithfood]

I'd like to make a coleslaw with apples (unless someone has a better idea :)). Wolfgang Puck has a recipe on Food Network that looks good.

I'd like to make the coleslaw ahead--how do I keep the apples from going brown? Would soaking them in lemon juice before adding them be adequate? Any experience/suggestions welcomed!

[goodhealthgourmet]

soak them in acidulated water (i.e. water with some lemon juice mixed in). definitely don't use straight, full-strength lemon juice - it'll make them sour & they'll pick up too much lemon flavor.

[Funwithfood]

Good point goodhealthgourmet.

I'm thinking of using napa cabbage (a fav rest uses this). Does it go soggy faster than regular cabbage, or are they basically interchangeable?

[goodhealthgourmet]

both the flavor & texture are slightly different - it's lighter and more delicate than regular green cabbage. but it'll weep just as easily. all cabbage weeps when it's salted, which is why so many people end up with watery coleslaw even when they didn't think they over-dressed it...the salt in the dressing leaches the water out of the cabbage, and you end up with an unexpectedly soggy mess. just keep that in mind when combining the veggies & the dressing. start with a light hand - you can always add more.

[greygarious]

The acid in the dressing will keep the apples from discoloring without acidulating first.
Some varieties of apple are slow to turn brown - Honeycrisp is among them. You can find such info online. I'd recommend using Asian Pear (aka pear apple). Pears and apples are closely related members of the rose family so are interchangeable in lots of uses. The Asian pear is simultaneously ultra-crisp (think water chestnut) and ultra-juicy so it contributes a lot of crunch to salads. It's also slow to discolor.

[Old Spice]

My standard slaw is cabbage & apples with a cooked oil/apple cider vinegar/sugar/mustard dressing. I always make it the night before i want to serve it. The vinegar retards the browning of the apples.

[torty]

My everyday cabbage slaw always includes chopped apples, cucumber and loads of green onions. My dressing is made by adding the ingredients directly to the veggies. I use Dijon mustard, ginger or malt vinegar, a pinch of sweetener (often a spoon of jam- I like orange or plum), and enough mayo to bring it together. I have never noticed the apple going appreciably dark. I usually use Fuji for the firm texture.

[Funwithfood]

That's what I ended up doing after noticing my julienned apples in water/lemon were completely brown!

Next time I'll just do as I did in this pinch--chop up the apples (skin on) just when assembling the coleslaw.

Also, salting of the cabbage, etc. was a waste of time.

Prepping all the ingredients and putting them in Ziplock bags the day before (accept the apples) , THEN tossing all with the dressing 1-2 hours before serving seems the way to go, based on my experience.