Overnight Slaw — The Side That Holds the Table Together

November 2022. Fall in Memphis, and I am 64, walking the neighborhood in my light jacket, watching the leaves turn on the oaks and maples that line Deadrick Avenue. The smoker is happy in fall — the cooler air holds the smoke lower, keeps it closer to the meat, and the results are always a shade better in October than in July, as if the season itself is a seasoning.

Rosetta beside me through the week, steady as ever, the woman who runs this household with the precision of a hospital ward and the heart of a mother who has loved fiercely for 39 years of marriage.

Smoked turkey wings this week — big, meaty, brined and rubbed and smoked at 275 for three hours until the skin crackled and the meat pulled clean. Turkey wings are the working class of BBQ: cheap, underrated, and transformed by smoke into something extraordinary. Uncle Clyde served them on Fridays at his stand, and I serve them on Saturdays in my backyard, and the tradition bridges the gap between then and now.

Sunday at Mt. Zion, the choir sang and I sat in my pew and let the music hold me. The bass notes I used to add are quieter now — my voice is aging, the way everything ages — but the listening is its own participation, and the church holds me the way the church has held this community for a hundred years: faithfully, unconditionally, with room for everyone who shows up. I show up. That is enough.

The wings never stood alone at the backyard table — there was always something cool and sharp beside them to cut through the smoke, and this overnight slaw has been that thing for as long as I can remember. You make it the night before, same as you brine the meat the night before, so by Saturday afternoon everything is ready and you are not scrambling. Rosetta has always said the slaw is the part she looks forward to most, which I take as high praise and a gentle reminder that not everything worth doing requires a smoker.

Overnight Slaw

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 5 min | Total Time: 8 hr 25 min (includes overnight chill) | Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 1 medium head green cabbage, finely shredded (about 8 cups)
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

1. Layer the vegetables. Place the shredded cabbage, onion, bell pepper, and carrot in a large heatproof bowl. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the sugar evenly over the top — do not stir yet.
2. Make the hot dressing. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, salt, celery seed, dry mustard, black pepper, vinegar, oil, and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, about 3–5 minutes.
3. Pour and seal. Immediately pour the hot dressing over the undisturbed vegetable and sugar layers. Do not stir. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.
4. Refrigerate overnight. Chill at least 8 hours or overnight. The sugar dissolves, the vegetables soften slightly, and the dressing infuses throughout.
5. Toss before serving. When ready to serve, toss well to combine. Taste and adjust salt or a splash more vinegar if needed. Serve cold alongside smoked meats.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 185 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 245mg