Bulk Slaw Shredder

[krj]

I'm trying to find an efficient and affordable way to shred cabbage/carrot for slaw. Doing a couple heads by hand isn't that big of a deal, but I'm looking at needing to do like 30-40 heads. I was looking at getting a used KitchedAid stand mixer plus the shred attachment, or perhaps a food processor with the same. Either way I'm not wanting to have super small confetti bits when it's all chopped, but something that actually resembles slaw. If that makes any sense.

Anyone have any experience with doing large amounts of slaw? If so what did you do, or what did you wish you had done?

 

[chef jimmyj]

Look up Triple Blade Cabbage Shredder. Think giant wooden mandolin. Been used for hundreds if years to turn a whole garden of cabbage into Sauerkraut...JJ

 

[HalfSmoked]

Look in the recipe section for slaw recipes or even sauerkraut. May be some ideas there. I have a antique slaw board.

Warren

 

[johnmeyer]

Great question, and I am looking forward to other people's answers because I too am not totally satisfied with any of the following methods that I have used. And, like you, I don't want my slaw look like the leftover chads from the 2000 Florida election re-count.

To get good-looking slaw requires technique that I have not yet figured out, no matter what tool I use. In particular, which way do you slice the cabbage, and how do you avoid really long pieces (a problem when cutting by hand with a knife), and how do you avoid having the outer leaves come out as big flat chunks?

So, here is what I've used over the years, in no particular order.

1. Knife, by hand.

2. My 1970s Rival "Grind-O-Matic," using its slicing cone. Here is a pic showing a similar model to what I own. You can buy modern versions of the same thing:

The Kitchen-Aid attachment you are referring to is basically the same thing. You have to get the cabbage cut so that it fits, and the outer leaves can definitely be an issue, because the blades "prefer" the stiffer inner core leaves.

3. Mandolin. The cabbage has to be cut into smallish chunks, and you have to wear a cut-protection glove, but this can work pretty well, and is definitely faster than using a knife. Here is the mandolin I use:

Swissmar Mandolin

This would probably be what I'd use for your chore.

4. Food processor. This too requires that the cabbage be cut into small chunks. Also, my 1978 original-style Cuisinart has a really narrow feed tube, so the chunks end up really small. This is my least favorite way to go, but a more modern food processor that has a much bigger feed tube might work OK.

 

[HalfSmoked]

John you bring up another point. How do you like your slaw coarse of fine can decide what type of cutter you need.

Warren

 

[AllAces]

For eastern NC slaw, the kind that is served on pork bbq sandwiches, I use a mandolin and a kevlar glove.
For more rustic slaw I slice and chop to the degree of courseness desired. With either method I can process 6 to 8 haeds of cabbage rather quickly. That is a lot of slaw. For commercial quanties, look for something like a buffalo chopper/grinder.

 

[krj]

Look up Triple Blade Cabbage Shredder. Think giant wooden mandolin. Been used for hundreds if years to turn a whole garden of cabbage into Sauerkraut...JJ

I like the idea of three blades making faster work compared to a standard mandolin.

Look in the recipe section for slaw recipes or even sauerkraut. May be some ideas there. I have a antique slaw board.

Warren

What does the slaw look like when it comes out?

Great question, and I am looking forward to other people's answers because I too am not totally satisfied with any of the following methods that I have used. And, like you, I don't want my slaw look like the leftover chads from the 2000 Florida election re-count.

To get good-looking slaw requires technique that I have not yet figured out, no matter what tool I use. In particular, which way do you slice the cabbage, and how do you avoid really long pieces (a problem when cutting by hand with a knife), and how do you avoid having the outer leaves come out as big flat chunks?

So, here is what I've used over the years, in no particular order.

1. Knife, by hand.

2. My 1970s Rival "Grind-O-Matic," using its slicing cone. Here is a pic showing a similar model to what I own. You can buy modern versions of the same thing:

The Kitchen-Aid attachment you are referring to is basically the same thing. You have to get the cabbage cut so that it fits, and the outer leaves can definitely be an issue, because the blades "prefer" the stiffer inner core leaves.

3. Mandolin. The cabbage has to be cut into smallish chunks, and you have to wear a cut-protection glove, but this can work pretty well, and is definitely faster than using a knife. Here is the mandolin I use:

Swissmar Mandolin

This would probably be what I'd use for your chore.

4. Food processor. This too requires that the cabbage be cut into small chunks. Also, my 1978 original-style Cuisinart has a really narrow feed tube, so the chunks end up really small. This is my least favorite way to go, but a more modern food processor that has a much bigger feed tube might work OK.

Which method do you prefer?

John you bring up another point. How do you like your slaw coarse of fine can decide what type of cutter you need.

Warren

I'm looking for a uniform slaw, so I guess you wouldn't call it coarse which I relate to a more rustic style.

For eastern NC slaw, the kind that is served on pork bbq sandwiches, I use a mandolin and a kevlar glove.
For more rustic slaw I slice and chop to the degree of courseness desired. With either method I can process 6 to 8 haeds of cabbage rather quickly. That is a lot of slaw. For commercial quanties, look for something like a buffalo chopper/grinder.

Had to look up eastern NC style, and that is definitely not what I'm after. I wish I could afford a buffalo chopper, but that's a ways down the line.

 

[petehalsted]

I have a Kitchen Kraft Kitchen Kutter, looks identical to John's Grind-O-Matic. These things were made under several names.

I don't have a food processor, I prefer the control the Kitchen Kutter gives me, the difference between dice onions and onion soup is about 1/2 sec with most food processors I used!

I used to do cooking demonstrations for Kitchen Kraft. We made a salad in about 30 seconds with several different veggies, and blades. Quarter your cabbage and it will turn it into slaw pretty darn quick, I do it with the inside "pointy" part of the quarter head facing the blade, and a few quick turns and I have a bowl full of slaw and 1 outer leaf left, that I toss. If the head is especially big I sometimes have to half the quarters.

30 - 40 heads might be pushing it with how much I would want to do with it, but I suspect given a choice between that and a mandolin, I would definitely do the Kitchen Kutter.

Cleanup is also 100% easier than a processor. I use mine for hashbrowns all the time, I can turn 2 potatoes into hashbrowns quicker than I can open a bag of frozen hashbrowns. It also has 2 different thickness slicing blades so I can do Au Gratin/Scallopped or fried country potatoes real quick as well.

Here's a video for the Kitchen Kutter, and yes I use to use the same cheesy jokes in my demostrations LOL

 

[pc farmer]

How bout a meat slicer.

 

[zwiller]

I am with JJ on the wooden shredder. No idea they were still made! Can be ordered in different sizes. There is still some chopping. You want at least half or quartered. Very fast in the right hands. Glove is a good idea for that kinda volume.


That said, a food processor does great for a head or 2. Yes, modern food chute is quite large and I also think they are easier to clean than they used to. I just did potato pancakes and could fit a potato in lengthwise.

 

[Lonzinomaker]

for 30-40 heads I would look into getting a Robot Coupe food processor with a continuous feed attachment. Here's a vid https://youtu.be/wkSQrbRfuow .

 

[krj]

I am with JJ on the wooden shredder. No idea they were still made! Can be ordered in different sizes. There is still some chopping. You want at least half or quartered. Very fast in the right hands. Glove is a good idea for that kinda volume.


That said, a food processor does great for a head or 2. Yes, modern food chute is quite large and I also think they are easier to clean than they used to. I just did potato pancakes and could fit a potato in lengthwise.

Yea, I think I'm gonna go with the large wooden shredder. I found one on Amazon for $40 and a pair of Kevlar gloves for $10. That's perfect for the price range I'm wanting to be in for this go around.

for 30-40 heads I would look into getting a Robot Coupe food processor with a continuous feed attachment. Here's a vid https://youtu.be/wkSQrbRfuow .

That thing is pretty awesome, the $1000 price tag, not so much. I'll definitely put that in my cart as something to maybe some day buy, but for the time being it's well out of my price range.

 

[old sarge]

This ought to do it:

https://rapidswholesale.com/commerc...bage-shredders/slaw-cutter-cheese-grater.html