Vegetables are possibly the most overlooked food when it comes to smoking. An abundance of recipes cover smoking every protein imaginable, but vegetables, particularly those sturdy enough to hold up to low heat for a long period of time, produce equally successful results. Cabbage is one of those vegetables. Standard green and purple cabbage varieties, however, tend to hold up better to smoking than smaller, delicate types, such as savoy. Smoking tempers the bitterness of cabbage without completely eliminating it, leaving behind roasted undertones of flavor interspersed with the essence of the wood used.
Fill the water and chip trays in the smoker to their respective fill lines. Woods that complement the taste of cabbage include apple, hickory and mesquite.
Adjust the heat on the smoker to low and cover. Allow the heat to reach 220 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the thin outer leaves from the cabbage. Cut the stem from the cabbage and slice it in half with a chef’s knife. Cut out the core of the cabbage and discard. Cut the cabbage in quarters.
Coat the cabbage with olive oil and season it to taste. Spices and seasonings that accompany cabbage include savory, thyme, rosemary, mustard seed, caraway seed, cardamom, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Arrange the cabbage quarters on their side on the smoker tray. Place the tray in the smoker and cover. Smoke the cabbage for 45 minutes.