Basic Recipe I followed:
The basic recipe was equivalent to Batch #1 but I decided I would go ahead and create a Miracle Whip-based batch to consider Mrs. Slaw’s advice. I know Mrs. Slaw’s mother’s recipe uses Miracle Whip, so I knew there was a difference from eating it but wasn’t sure how drastic it would be. Since we needed to take an item to a Saturday cookout it was the perfect chance to get some feedback on my recipe from people who aren’t related to me by marriage. If it was bad, I figured I could pass it off as stolen from a hobo on the drive over. In retrospect labeling it Batch #2 was probably a poor choice for that ruse. Deliberate labeling shows the kind of forethought you don’t see from the average hobo.
Ingredients used:
Miracle Whip= This stuff is visually gross just like Mayo. It is sweeter.
Vinegar= Walmart Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt= Morton’s
Sugar= Unlabeled clear bin from kitchen pantry, again
Pepper= From the grinder on the kitchen table
Cabbage= Source: Dilner Farms CSA. Used about 3/4 a medium head. I hand cut with a sharp chef’s knife.
Carrot= Most of one large. I learned cutting the thin side off before using the box grater made it a little easier to work with the carrot.
Lemon juice= None (See Unintentional deviations from Recipe).
Photos:
Intentional deviations from Recipe:
Coarse Black pepper added to finish and for visual effect. That stuff is expensive.
Unintentional deviations from Recipe:
The lemons I had used in Batch# 1 were gone by now. This created a dilemma. Short on time (and too lazy to go buy lemons), I was forced to improvise. I added another 50% to the desired amount of Apple Cider Vinegar to make up for it. It seemed to be a reasonable workaround. Unfortunately, it did introduce a second variable when I was trying to make Batch#2 as close to #1 as possible.
Beer accompaniment:
Fathead’s Head Hunter. Pretty much a perfect West Coast IPA and a good sipper while making slaw.
Beer accompaniment’s potential box-grater finger injury rating (BAPBFIR):
2.5 bloody fingers out of 5.
How I felt:
I made this and took it to a cookout the same day so this batch did not have the benefit of being allowed to rest. I thought it was better on initial taste than batch #1, and decidedly less bland.
How others felt:
The batch was a little small for the number of guests at the party, so it was gone quickly. I heard neither positive nor negative feedback from other guests but I take the disappearing as a positive sign. Pulled pork was served so people were adding it to their sandwiches.
Grade:
I- for Incomplete. I didn’t get to try enough of it to make a full opinion and the fact I was a little buzzed at the cookout dinner didn’t help. I was hoping I could rule out whether I should consider Miracle Whip in the future, but will need to try it at least once more.
