Remove the outermost leaves from the head of the cabbage, especially if they appear bruised, wilted, or discolored. Give the cabbage a rinse, then dry it thoroughly.
Steaks
Stand the cabbage upright with the stem side down, making sure it’s not wobbling around. If need be, trim the stem slightly to create a flat surface.
Firmly grip the cabbage with your non-dominant hand, then make slices about ¾ - 1 inch thick.
Wedges
Again, stand the cabbage upright with the stem side down. Slice it down the middle into two equal halves. Turn each half over, then slice it in half again to make quarters.
Note: If your cabbage is large, cut the quarters one more time to make smaller wedges.
To remove the core, keep each wedge on a flat side. Make an angled cut with your knife, ensuring you don't cut all the way through the core (it will help keep the leaves together).
Shredded
Repeat the same process as the cabbage wedges. Once you’ve removed the core, make thin perpendicular slices all the way along each cabbage quarter.
Make the slices fairly thin, around ⅛ - ¼ inch thick for recipes like coleslaw or sauerkraut. For stir-fries and the like, you can cut them around ½-inch thick.
If you own a mandolin, set your desired thickness and flip the cabbage flat side down. Move it back and forth across the mandolin blade until you reach the end of the cabbage. Be careful of your fingers as you get closer to the blade!