You know, that Long John Silver’s coleslaw, the one they sell with the fish? My oh my, it’s good stuff. I tried to make it at home, you know, like they do. Took some figuring, but I think I got it pretty close. This is my Long John Silver’s coleslaw copycat recipe, hope you like it.
First, you gotta get yourself some cabbage. Just a regular head of cabbage from the store. Shred that up real fine. Like, real, real fine. The finer, the better, I always say. Then you need some carrots. Just a couple, maybe two or three. Shred those up too. I like to use that grater thing, the one with the little holes. Makes it all nice and small. And an onion! Can’t forget the onion. Chop that up real small too.
Now, this is important, see? You gotta sprinkle a little salt on that cabbage. Not too much, just a pinch. Let it sit there for a bit, maybe ten minutes or so. It pulls out the water, you know? Makes it so your coleslaw ain’t all watery and sad. After ten minutes, you just squeeze out that water. Get rid of it.
Then you need to mix up the sauce. That’s the secret, you see. It ain’t just mayonnaise. No sir! You need some mayo, yeah, but you also need some buttermilk. Makes it a little thinner, not so thick. And some vinegar! I use that apple cider kind. Gives it a little zing. It can make the dressing brighter and some fruity taste.
Now, some folks like it sweet, some like it tangy. I like it both ways, truth be told. So, I put a little sugar in there. Not too much, just enough to take the edge off. You can use honey, or that maple syrup stuff too, if you like. It all does the same thing, just makes it a little sweeter.
- Cabbage, shredded real fine
- Carrots, shredded up
- Onion, chopped small
- Mayo, the creamy kind
- Buttermilk, not too much
- Vinegar, that apple cider stuff
- Sugar, just a little bit
You mix all that sauce stuff together in a bowl. Get it all nice and mixed up. Then you pour it over your cabbage and carrots and onion. Mix it all up real good. Make sure every piece is coated with that sauce. Some people like to put other stuff in their coleslaw. Like celery, or peppers, or even apples! I like apples in mine sometimes. You can add a little pepper for heat. Or other stuff, whatever you want. You’re the boss, just remember to adjust sweetness and heat to your liking.
Now, you gotta let it sit. That’s the other secret. You can’t just eat it right away. No, no. You gotta let it sit in the fridge for a while. At least a few hours. Overnight is even better. Lets all those flavors get to know each other, you know? Makes it taste way better.
If you don’t eat all this coleslaw at once, it is okay. This coleslaw can be kept in your fridge for like two weeks. I usually cut the sugar amount by half, and just pour the dressing over cabbage and onion. If you have some copycat recipe of your own, you should write it down, so you can keep it forever. You can even keep recipes from the internet, it is easy and free!
So there you have it. My Long John Silver’s coleslaw copycat recipe. It ain’t perfect, but it’s pretty darn close. And it’s way cheaper than buying it from the restaurant, that’s for sure. This recipe is good for your health, too. Cabbage is full of vitamins, you know. Good for your insides. And it’s tasty, too! So you get the best of both worlds.
I hope you try this recipe. It’s easy to make, even if you ain’t a fancy cook. Just follow these steps, and you’ll be eating coleslaw just like the one from Long John Silver’s. Maybe even better! ‘Cause homemade is always better, ain’t it?
Well, that’s all I got for now. Time for me to go tend to my garden. Got some tomatoes that need picking. And maybe I’ll make some more coleslaw later. ‘Cause you can never have too much coleslaw, I always say.
