This Sweet Vinegar Coleslaw recipe can be found in 12 Bones Smokehouse: A Mountain BBQ Cookbook. If you’ve ever eaten at 12 Bones in Asheville, NC, you know they have some seriously good food, especially the Blueberry Chipotle Ribs. OMG!

What Makes This Recipe Special?

Unlike most coleslaw recipes, the dressing is heated before being poured over the cabbage. This slightly softens the vegetables and gives them a lightly pickled flavor that becomes even better after chilling.

Deb Said:

This was SO GOOD!!! It was perfect for our pulled pork sandwiches!!! Everyone loved it! It’s a keeper

Clous-up of Vinegar Coleslaw in serving bowl.

How To Make Sweet Vinegar Coleslaw

(More detailed instructions and video in recipe card below.)

This southern vinegar coleslaw is made in a slightly nontraditional way. You bring a mixture of vinegar, sugar, and oil to a simmer and add celery seed, salt and pepper plus thinly sliced onion and green pepper. The onion and pepper get soft and pickled in flavor.

Then you pour the hot mixture over coleslaw mix. The cabbage gets a little bit wilted and picks up so much flavor.

Combine sugar, vinegar, and oil in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat.
Add celery seed, salt, and pepper.
Add onion. Simmer for 1 minute.
Add bell pepper. Simmer 1 minute.
Place coleslaw mix in a large bowl and pour the vinegar mixture over it. Mix well.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Vinegar mixture getting poured into bowl with cabbage.

How To Serve

It’s a super tasty alternative to a mayo-based coleslaw and it makes a refreshing side for the summer months. The tangy vinegar flavor cuts through rich barbecue especially well. It goes perfect with bbq pork, especially Carolina-Style Pulled Pork and Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork. It also goes really well with Brisket. And it is one of my favorite 4th of July Sides.