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Few foods go as well with outdoor cookouts as coleslaw. Think about it: coleslaw goes great with practically anything you might be considering for your cookout or picnic. This includes pulled pork, smoked pork loin, pork chops, fried chicken, BBQ chicken, beef brisket, hamburgers, hotdogs, and sausage dogs. Because slaw is made with fresh veggies, it practically screams “spring” and “summer,” which is another reason it’s great for outdoor dining.

Coleslaw basics – The base for most slaws is green cabbage, but other veggies can be used in addition to green cabbage or in place of green cabbage. These might include red or purple cabbage, shredded broccoli stalks, or even chopped fresh spinach leaves. Some people like their slaw base chopped, while some cooks prefer to shred their base veggie or veggies. I have a friend who makes a great slaw with coarsely sliced cabbage. The question here is – how much dressing do you want? The finer the veggies are, the more dressing they’ll have clinging to them in proportion.

Additions- You can add practically anything you want to your base. Some ideas are sweet pickles, dill pickles, olives, apples, oranges, almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, radishes, summer squash, zucchini, onion, shallots, bell pepper, hot peppers, garlic, pears, cilantro, tomatoes, basil, mint, and oregano.

The dressing – The slaw dressing can contain just about anything you like: Mayonnaise, mayonnaise-type salad dressing, Italian salad dressing, Russian salad dressing, thousand island salad dressing, milk, cream, olive oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil, coconut oil, bacon drippings, buttermilk, plain yogurt, or sour cream. A vinegar or some other acidic ingredient are usually added.

You might use apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, white vinegar, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, or orange juice. Spices and other seasonings are also often added to slaw, usually in the dressing. You might want to try salt, black pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, garlic salt, fresh garlic, onion powder, lemon pepper, white pepper, cumin, paprika, sugar, or chipotle powder.