How long does it take cabbage to soften and mush up?

Did you smash it

I cooked some cabbage in a pot on a stove top with some chopped onion, red wine vinegar and honey. Cooked for at least 30 mins and it was fine but it never became soft and mushy. It stayed in the shaped I cut the cabbage into.

Do you need to absolutely cut the cabbage into tiny pieces for the cabbage to mush together during cooking or does it need an hour cooking (I was only cooking about a tenth of a head so not a lot) or what is the secret?

Dizzyblonde

It depends on what type of cabbage it is, and also how much liquid you use. I've seen recipes for braised cabbage that use a tiny amount of liquid, and they never cook in the time they say they will. I usually have to put a lid on or put them into the oven, and cook them for a lot longer than the recipe suggests.

My husband will only east soft cabbage, so if I'm boiling green cabbage such as York or Sweetheart I'll cover it with boiling water, out the lid on and let it bubble away for 20-30 minutes on the hob. With white cabbage and some of the tougher green cabbage it can take a bit longer, and I'll sometimes add a little bread soda for the last few minutes if it's not softening.