Place the shredded cabbage in a large mixing bowl. Add the thousand island dressing, rice vinegar, and hot sauce directly over the cabbage. I like to use pre-shredded coleslaw mix because it's already cut to the perfect thickness for optimal dressing absorption and texture. Toss everything together with a fork or your hands, making sure the dressing coats every strand of cabbage evenly. This should take about 1-2 minutes of vigorous tossing.

Taste the coleslaw and add a pinch of salt and black pepper, then toss once more to distribute the seasonings evenly. I find that adding salt at the end rather than the beginning helps you control the seasoning better, since the dressing already contains salt. Serve immediately for the crispest texture, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.