(Man am I glad I can finally set this recipe aside with peace of mind. I don't wanna' see another golabki for at least a year...
)
I based the sauce on a recipe I found in an old Polish cookbook. I made a veal stock with backbones - which have an absolutely incredible amount of connective tissue which melts out into gelatin. It's crucial to have a full-bodied stock to get the viscosity and flavor in the final sauce. The flavors are then pushed forward with some distilled white vinegar, sugar, and of course kosher salt. I also preferred the texture of finely ground meats rather than the chunky ground sometimes found in supermarkets.
Golabkis (Finally...haha... 
)
For The Rolls...
1 Head Green Cabbage
1-lb Ground Beef (Finely Ground)
1-lb Ground Pork (Finely Ground)
3/4-C Uncooked Long Grain Rice
6-fl.oz Heavy Cream
1 Large Egg
8-oz Finely Diced Onion (Sweated Out)
1-t Minced Parsley
Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground White Pepper
For The Sauce...
4-oz Minced Bacon
4-oz Minced Yellow Onion
12-oz Tomato Paste
6-C Beef/Veal Stock
2-T White Vinegar
2 Cloves Garlic - Crushed
Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground White Pepper
Sugar - As Needed
Render the bacon and sweat the onions. Add the tomato paste and cook until it smells sweet and takes on golden hues. Whisk in the stock, and the vinegar and garlic and simmer uncovered for 30min (sauce should reduce by 1/2-3/4-C). Strain the sauce and return to a medium burner. Adjust the seasoning with salt, finely ground white pepper, and sugar. Remove from the heat.
Core and blanch the cabbage in a large pot of hot water. Remove the thick stems from the leaves, and set aside. Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
Combine the remaining stuffing ingredients along with a 1/2-C of the sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper.
Stuff the leaves like a burrito, or using an 8oz coffee cup lined with cheesecloth (produces the best results, but I was short on time in the above photos).
Pour a cup of sauce into the bottom of a large dutch oven, and then add the rolls (preferably in a single layer). Pour the remaining sauce on top, cover, and place in the oven. Braise for 2.5-3Hrs, stopping each hour to turn the rolls and ladle sauce over them.
Remove the pot from the oven, chill in a water bath, and refrigerate overnight. The next day degrease the sauce and remove the rolls to a separate plate. Return the sauce to a simmer and reduce some if necessary. Reseason with salt/sugar/pepper. Return the rolls to the sauce, cover, and return to the oven to reheat them.
*The refrigeration step isn't necessary, but makes a big difference in flavor development (similar to 2nd day meatballs or stews). You can also remove the rolls after they are finished cooking, spoon off any surface fat from the sauce, reduce/reseason, and then return the rolls for service.
**Be sure to season properly with salt and sugar. Combined with the vinegar they elevate the natural mellow flavors of the cabbage and meats.
(Now it's back to working on the chili recipe... )
