How do you cook your stuffed cabbage?

[larry_stewart]

I recently came across a few recipes , including one from my Polish assistant's mom , that cook their stuffed cabbage in the oven.

I've always cooked mine in a pot on the stovetop .

Just curious who does what , and what they feel the benefits are ? or is it just recipe specific, and no benefit one way or the other.

Just curious,

Larry

 

[Andy M.]

When my mom and now my sister make the Armenian version of the dish, stuffed with ground meat and rice among other things, they would cook them in a stockpot with added broth/water.

When SO makes golobkis, she bakes them covered with tomato soup and foil.

 

[GotGarlic]

I've only made them once, for my Polish FIL. I used a recipe similar to what his mother made - stuff the cabbage, line a baking dish with tomato sauce, add the cabbage, cover with more tomato sauce and bake.

If you're using tomato sauce, it's less likely to scorch in the oven than on the stovetop. If you're using water or broth, as Andy described, the stovetop is fine.

 

[CarolPa]

My Slovak MIL always cooked them in a big stock pot in tomato juice. I learned from someone else. I cook mine in either a big roast pan in the oven, or if it's summer and I don't want to heat up the house, I put them in an electric roaster out on the deck, so the whole neighborhood can smell them cooking. Either way, the are covered with canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and drained sauerkraut.

I can't really say there's a benefit to doing it my way. It's just the way I was taught to do it.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I make a meatloaf mixture and add raw rice to it, then I make the rolls using cabbage leaves that have simmered in boiling water for a minute or two. I put the tough outer leaves of the cabbage in the bottom of an old magnalite roaster with a tight fitting lid, add the cabbage rolls, pour enough V-8 or tomato juice into the pan to come up just to where I can begin to see it and put them into a 350 degree oven to cook for about 1 1/2 hours. The raw rice absorbs the tomato juice and it thickens into a light sauce. They are always best the second or third day.

 

[Just Cooking]

I make a meatloaf mixture and add raw rice to it, then I make the rolls using cabbage leaves that have simmered in boiling water for a minute or two. I put the tough outer leaves of the cabbage in the bottom of an old magnalite roaster with a tight fitting lid, add the cabbage rolls, pour enough V-8 or tomato juice into the pan to come up just to where I can begin to see it and put them into a 350 degree oven to cook for about 1 1/2 hours. The raw rice absorbs the tomato juice and it thickens into a light sauce. They are always best the second or third day.

That seems to be almost exactly the way my first wife made them.. Hadn't thought of that in 20 years... Nice memory..

Ross

 

[CharlieD]

If In have a large, scratch that, extra large tray, I do it in the oven too.

 

[Steve Kroll]

I bake mine, too.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

I roll up my little bundles, line the bottom of my
dutch oven with the leftover bits of cabbage that I've
chopped, along with some augmented tomato sauce,
lay in the bundles and cover it all in more sauce, cover and bake
until done.

Don't know why I do this, growing up, I never had this dish nor did
my husband, but that's how I do it in my kitchen.

 

[cjmmytunes]

I always bake mine - it's the only way I remember having them. Haven't had any in ages, think I might fix some one day next week.

 

[medtran49]

Mostly in the oven, but I have done them on the stovetop.

 

[letscook]

Bake mine single layer in baking dish ( like a lasagna pan ) with cabbage leaves on the bottom and top of them topped with bacon slices and tomato sauce

 

[CubsGal]

I'm from a Polish family; I've only ever seen them baked in the oven. And now I want to make some.

 

[larry_stewart]

Looks like Im gonna try baking them next time.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

The Polish side of my family baked in tomato sauce; the Hungarian in-law baked with tomato juice. Himself's side of the family is Slovak. I don't remember them ever making a small portion, so the only time I've seen them they were by the dozens and dozens in a huge electric roasting pan a la Nesco - with tomato juice.

With all of this talk about cabbage rolls (Gołąbki), I now have two large head of cabbage in the refrigerator. Just waiting on my new Staub braiser : so that I can christen it the right way

 

[larry_stewart]

Whats a common 'Bake Time and Temp" if made in the oven?

I see a 350 for 1 1/2 hours mentioned earlier. What times and temps do you guys use? Reason Im asking is Im converting a stove top into a oven baked, so I don't have a time to go by.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Hmmm, curious, I went looking in my "recipe binder" for my stuffed cabbage,
gone!
And of course I don't remember how I made it previously,
so I'm going to keep very close tabs on this thread,
that's for sure.

 

[Cheryl J]

Same here, kgirl...I'll be keeping an eye on this. I haven't made stuffed cabbage in several (ok, many...probably 10) years, but it sure is sounding good for a nice change in meal rotation this fall.

 

[Cheryl J]

I make a meatloaf mixture and add raw rice to it, then I make the rolls using cabbage leaves that have simmered in boiling water for a minute or two. I put the tough outer leaves of the cabbage in the bottom of an old magnalite roaster with a tight fitting lid, add the cabbage rolls, pour enough V-8 or tomato juice into the pan to come up just to where I can begin to see it and put them into a 350 degree oven to cook for about 1 1/2 hours. The raw rice absorbs the tomato juice and it thickens into a light sauce. They are always best the second or third day.

This is the way I remember making them too...it was the way my mom made them and I just kind of followed her way. Thank you Aunt Bea, for the memories. Will surely make this again once the weather cools off a little more.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Whats a common 'Bake Time and Temp" if made in the oven?

I see a 350 for 1 1/2 hours mentioned earlier. What times and temps do you guys use? Reason Im asking is Im converting a stove top into a oven baked, so I don't have a time to go by.

My recipe (well, actually my aunt Josephine's recipe) has them in the oven at 325 F for two hours, so 350 for an hour and a half should accomplish the same thing.