Note that there are some similarities between this method and the standard method used for cutting long cabbages, but there are a few small difference, as well.
If you are using a wooden or plastic cutting board, stabilize it by placing a dry dish towel underneath. This prevents the board from slipping around as you cut the cabbage. It is not usually necessary if you have a non-slip cutting mat, though. [2] X Research source
Hold the cabbage steady with your non-dominant hand and cut with your dominant hand. Cut carefully so that you do not accidentally slip and cut yourself while working with the cabbage.
Since the cut-side is flat, it will be easier to hold the cabbage still with that side facing the surface. Once you cut the cabbage into quarters, though, the quarters will need to be flipped over so that the cut-sides face up, thereby exposing the core.
At this point, you should also peel off any tough or wilted outer leaves. This is also the point in time at which you should rinse the cabbage under cool, running water.
Note that there are some similarities between this method and the standard method used for cutting round cabbages, but there are a few small difference, as well.
You will end up cutting the core and stem in half during this step. Note that you do not need to trim the stem before cutting the cabbage in half. Hold the cabbage steady with your non-dominant hand and cut with your dominant hand. Cut carefully so that you do not accidentally slip and cut yourself while working with the cabbage. Stabilize the cutting board by placing a dry dish towel underneath. This may not be necessary if you have a non-slip cutting mat, however.
At this point, you should also peel off any wilted outer leaves. Rinse the cabbage under cool, running water to clean it, as well.
You could try this method with a long cabbage variety, like napa cabbage, but you may not have much success. Long varieties of cabbage tend to have looser leaves, and you may lose too many of the inner leaves while trying to remove the core via boiling, as called for in this method.
If you want to help add flavor to the cabbage, you can add up to 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of salt to the water after it reaches a boil.
Most of the outer leaves will drop off once you dunk the cabbage in the boiling water. Since the good leaves can be preserved, however, it is still advisable that you separate the bad leaves ahead of time.
Hold the cabbage steady with your non-dominant hand and cut with your dominant hand.
Ideally, the fork will be inserted so far that the individual prongs will be just barely visible from the outside of the cabbage. A good portion of the fork needs to be stuck inside. To test whether or not enough has been inserted, try lifting the cabbage with nothing but the fork. If it does not drop off or show signs of doing so, you have inserted enough of the fork into the core.
Hold the fork with your non-dominant hand and cut with your dominant hand. Cut carefully, especially as you turn the knife toward the hand holding the fork. Being careful can help prevent you from accidentally cutting yourself while working with the cabbage. If you want to skip the boiling part altogether, try cutting into the core at an angled circle, with the knife tip facing inward toward the center of the cabbage. If you plan to follow through with the boiling steps, however, cut a vertically straight circle all the way around the core.
Work carefully to avoid burning yourself with the boiling water or the hot steam. After about 5 minutes, the outer leaves should start falling off. This is when you can remove the cabbage from the boiling water.
The tip of the knife should point toward the center of the cabbage as you work around the core.
This method is also ideal when you want to cook the core whole, since the other methods require you to cut the core into sections before removing it.
