Cooking Sulfur-Containing Vegetables

Overcooked vegetables, break down sulfur compounds, producing strong flavors, disagreeable odors, unattractive colors and often -"indigestion" .

Some vegetables contain sulfur compounds which break down during cooking. This affects both color and flavor.

Avoid overcooking…

You are probably most familiar with these sulfur-containing vegetables: cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and turnips. When you overcook these vegetables, the sulfur compounds break down, producing strong flavors, disagreeable odors, unattractive colors and often the "indigestion" people complain about.

Preparation tips

To prepare these vegetables successfully, remember to cook them in a moderate amount of boiling water and cook just until tender, no longer.

When you cook vegetables in the cabbage family, leave the lid off so some of the sulfur compounds can escape in the steam produced by the boiling water.

For more information on cooking sulfur-containing vegetables; contact your local county Extension office.