Cabbage Rolls

[Lifter]

Could someone who lnows how please PM this to "Alix" (presently in Mickey Mouse Land, Florida, on holidaze?)...

Am sure she would love to see this, and no point in leting her miss it!

Thanks so much for posting this, Blue Cat!

Quite right, there's no loss in using ground pork in lieu of ground beef, and a number of things that this would improve the concept!

Lifter

 

[ella/TO]

Halupshus.....soften cabbage leaves in boiling water, take out as they soften. Slice along rib to make it thin.
Minced beef, mixed with rice.....half and half or more of meat, less of rice.
Place mound of mixture on spine end of leaf. roll up, starting to roll in sides to end.Put sliced cabbage on bottom of large pot. Start putting rolls, close together into pot. Continue until all rolls are in pot. Pour in tomato juice to cover, add lemon and sugar to taste....this is something you'll have to keep tasting and adjusting as it cooks...Add slices of onion on top of rolls. Let simmer for a good long time....always tastes better 1 or 2 days later.

 

[Claire]

This is so funny. My husband has been giving me grief for not making cabbage rolls for well over a year. I guess I need to get my butt in gear. The best story about cabbage rolls is that one year I used a new jar of paprika ... and believe it or not, it turned out hot. I mean really hot. As in burn-your-mouth. And I love hot, this was truly, weirdly hot. I guess it tells you what great friends I have. Hubby and I looked at each other, and rolled our eyes after tasting the rolls. We both loved it. Our freinds (we were new in town), much to our delight, kept going back for more. My MIL and mother, my older friends,would have killed me. Cabbage rolls were never meant to be HOT. These friends are older, people I wouldn't expect to love this kind of food. We had a great time!!

 

[Brianschef]

You can freeze the entire head of cabbage overnight, then peel away the leaves needed for rolling. Thus eliminating the over boiling. It will only freeze so deep every 24 hours so if you need more than 8-10 leaves, leave it in another 8-12 hours.

 

[cats]

I just made a batch of stuffed cabbage on Fri. and wanted to pass along two things. First off, I always use Minute Rice straight from the box, rather than cooking rice first and adding to mixture. This saves time, an add'l pot/pan to mess with, and the rice always comes out perfectly. The next thing I want to add is that, before doing my usual filling mixture, I looked up cabbage rolls in my Fannie Farmer cookbook, just to see if she had any "news" for me in making this, and she says to add crushed rosemary to the meat mixture. I did add the rosemary, but just put the recommended amt. in with the sauce, uncrushed, and it cooked away to practically nothing. It added a wonderfully subtle flavor to the cabbage rolls and I'm going to try to remember doing this all the time. Have a great day everyone.

 

[ella/TO]

Hi Claire....indeed a funny story....and guess what....I forgot to say that I also add raisins to the sauce....and that the rolls taste very good with a dab of sour cream or tzaki (sp)....

 

[Constance]

Here's my recipe...

CABBAGE ROLLS

Ingredients:
1/3 cup cooked rice
3/4 lb pork, uncooked
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 4 lb. head caggage
1 large jar sauerkraut
2 cups tomato juice

Drop cabbage into boiling water and cook till outer leaves come off easily. Pull off 12 leaves and allow to cool.(Actually, I cut out the core, stick a big fork in, and hold it in the boiling water, pulling off the leaves as they soften.) Drain heart of cabbage and chop coarsly. Put half chopped cabbage and half of kraut in bottom of large pot. Mix together first 6 ingredients. Trim ribs from cabbage leaves. Put spoonful of meat mixture in each cabbage leaf. Fold over sides, then roll up and secure with toothpick. Arrange on top of chopped cabbage and kraut. Top with remaining chopped cabbage and kraut. Pour 2 cups tomato juice over top. Add water to within 2" of top of pan. Pour 2 tbl bacon grease over top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slowly bring to a boil and let simmer until done. Can also be put in the oven.

I have also tasted cabbage rolls made by an Italian lady who was married to a Polish man...she added her own little twist by using Italian sausage in the cabbage rolls, and instead of tomato juice, she used a marinara sauce with peppers, garlic and onions. Not authentic, but so delicious!

 

[Alix]

Oh my, I had forgotten about this thread. Thanks Constance. I have since been chatting with my Mom and I think we have been able to resurrect the recipe I want. I will get it gelled in my head and post mine soon.

 

[BlueCat]

Here is my mom's Romanian Stuffed Cabbage recipe. It's just delicious. We have stuffed cabbage and ham every Christmas and Easter.

Stuffed Cabbage

15 rolls



Ingredients:

1 ¾ Lb. pork butt, coarse ground
1 Med. onion, chopped
1 ¾ C. rice
5 Slices bacon, crisp, crumbled
1 Lb. can sauerkraut, drained
1 Qt. tomato juice
1 Head cabbage, 3 Lb.
1 ½ T. paprika
1 T. salt
2 t. black pepper

Directions:

Place cabbage head in a large pot of water. Heat until leaves become pliable. Peel off one leaf at a time, cut off thick outer vein and place leaves in tepid water. Saute onion in a little oil until golden. Add paprika. Mix together meat and rice. Add onions and bacon. Mixture should glisten. If not, add 1 T. oil. Use 1/3 c. measure of meat mixture per roll. Roll cabbages. In a large pot, place some of the small or torn leaves. Add a layer of rolls. Cover with some of the sauerkraut and a small amount of tomato juice. Layer rolls and sauerkraut without juice. Pour tomato juice over all. If top layer appears dry, add a little hot water. Cook on top of stove 15-20 minutes while heating oven to 325°. Pot should be covered. Transfer to oven. When juices begin to simmer, time for 1 hour. Reduce heat to 300°. Continue cooking for 1 hour. Make sure juices don’t boil. Reduce heat if necessary.


BC

 

[ella/TO]

Thankyou for your Mom's recipe!

 

[cipher]

I've used this recipe for several years. The addition of​

worcestershire sauce gives the filling a fuller flavor.

1 medium-sized head of cabbage
3 medium onions, chopped
2-3 tbsp butter
1/2 lb each of ground pork AND medium hamburger​

2 cups long grain rice for one medium cabbage
1-19 oz can tomato juice
4 tsp salt
ground pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

- put head of cabbage in freezer for at least 48 hours. Then thaw for 24 hours or less if you leave it on he counter.
- Fry onions in butter until they are transparent. Parboil the rice in a little water
(just to cover the rice) and bring to a low simmer. cook rice until water is absorbed. The rice will still be a little raw, but will complete cooking during baking.
- Add raw ground pork, beef, and fried onions. Mix well. Season with salt and
pepper to taste. Add worcestershire sauce and mix well.
- Grease a roaster (or a covered casserole dish) with a little oil and cover the
bottom and sides of the roaster with the outer cabbage leaves. Roll filling in
an inner cabbage leaf to make a roll. Place rolls in roaster, fitting them snugly
together with the seam on the bottom to prevent unrolling. Rolls can be
placed in layers to fill the roaster. When the rolls are all in place, pour the​

tomato juice on top. It is not necessary to use a whole can of tomato juice; it may boil over in the oven. Cover all of the cabbage rolls with left over cabbage leaves. Cover the roaster, then bake in the oven at 400° F for 30

minutes, then 350° for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
​

 

[ella/TO]

It's nice to have so many different recipes to play with....thanks everyone!

 

[Corinne]

I make my cabbage rolls with ham. I just mix up some ground ham (usually leftover), cooked white rice, minced onions, & shredded cheddar cheese for the filling.

I boil the head of cabbage & remove the leaves as they become pliable. Fill them with the ham/rice mixture, roll them up & place them in the baking dish.

The sauce I usually make is tomato sauce or tomato soup & sour cream - something like that!

Sprinkle more cheddar on the top. I LOVE cheese!

 

[Gerrycooks]

Stuffed Cabbage

1 sm- med head cabbage
ground pork about 2 lbs
1/2 c raw rice
1 tea fennel seed
2 eggs
1 sm onion chopped
salt
white pepper
garlic powder
2 large cans seasoned chopped Italian tomatoes

Remove core from cabbage. Remove as many leaves as possible. Soften leaves in boiling water.
I use Italian sausage ( mild).
Mix rest of ingredients except tomatoes. Cook a small bit of filling and adjust seasonings if pork is not seasoned enough. Add uncooked rice about 1/2cup. Place filling into cabbage fold over sides and roll up and place in large pot with seam down. Add tomatoes and water if needed. Cook on high for about 1 hour.

 

[Gerrycooks]

Stuffed Cabbage

Stuffed Cabbage

1 sm- med head cabbage
ground pork about 2 lbs
1/2 c raw rice
1 tea fennel seed
2 eggs
1 sm onion chopped
salt
white pepper
garlic powder
2 large cans seasoned chopped Italian tomatoes

Remove core from cabbage. Remove as many leaves as possible. Soften leaves in boiling water.
I use Italian sausage ( mild).
Mix rest of ingredients except tomatoes. Cook a small bit of filling and adjust seasonings if pork is not seasoned enough. Add uncooked rice about 1/2cup. Place filling into cabbage fold over sides and roll up and place in large pot with seam down. Add tomatoes and water if needed. Cook on high for about 1 hour.

 

[Claire]

This is next week's project. Now that I've tasted the ground venison that a friend of a friend gave me, I'm going to use it for part of the meat. Hubby found the meatless idea rather novel. Sounds like a great lent dish. As with most things, I don't use a recipe per se, but one that has evolved -- Mom made them, but they were not part of her ethnic background, just something she picked up from other military wives. Then my MIL taught me (Slovak/Slovene/Ukranian). Then a friend who learned hers from a Russian relative and a Polish in-law. The one touch I didn't see that the latter woman gave me is to put in a couple of cut up polish sausages (not in the meat/rice mixture in the rolls, but just popped into the pot to flavor the sauce). The recipe has definitely evolved A LOT. Since it is impossible to make a little halupke (gwampke, etc), I'm debating my guest list as we speak. I'll taste my paprika before I pour this time!!!

 

[grommet]

Here is my mom's Romanian Stuffed Cabbage recipe. It's just delicious. We have stuffed cabbage and ham every Christmas and Easter.

Stuffed Cabbage

15 rolls



Ingredients:

1 ¾ Lb. pork butt, coarse ground
1 Med. onion, chopped
1 ¾ C. rice
5 Slices bacon, crisp, crumbled
1 Lb. can sauerkraut, drained
1 Qt. tomato juice
1 Head cabbage, 3 Lb.
1 ½ T. paprika
1 T. salt
2 t. black pepper

Directions:

Place cabbage head in a large pot of water. Heat until leaves become pliable. Peel off one leaf at a time, cut off thick outer vein and place leaves in tepid water. Saute onion in a little oil until golden. Add paprika. Mix together meat and rice. Add onions and bacon. Mixture should glisten. If not, add 1 T. oil. Use 1/3 c. measure of meat mixture per roll. Roll cabbages. In a large pot, place some of the small or torn leaves. Add a layer of rolls. Cover with some of the sauerkraut and a small amount of tomato juice. Layer rolls and sauerkraut without juice. Pour tomato juice over all. If top layer appears dry, add a little hot water. Cook on top of stove 15-20 minutes while heating oven to 325°. Pot should be covered. Transfer to oven. When juices begin to simmer, time for 1 hour. Reduce heat to 300°. Continue cooking for 1 hour. Make sure juices don’t boil. Reduce heat if necessary.


BC

woooo...l.m a cabbage roll freak...love um..this recipe l have to try...many thanks bluecat

 

[Gretchen]

Here is a casserole dish that has all the goodness of cabbage rolls with the ease of just putting it together.

CABBAGE ROLL CASSEROLE
1-1 1/2 lb. ground beef or lamb
2 medium onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
1 can water
1/2 C uncooked rice
4 C cabbage, shredded
sour cream
Brown meeat, onions, and garlic. Drain. Add tomato sauce, water and salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Place 2/3 of the cabbage in a greased baking dish and cover with half the rice mixture. Repeat layers. Cover and bake in 350 oven for 1 hour. Serve with sour cream. Serves 4-6.

 

[Constance]

Bluecat, that is exactly the same recipe I have, except that your instructions are more explicit. I'm going to copy it for my files.
Folks, you gotta try cabbage rolls cooked with the kraut...They are so yummy!

One question: do you use raw or cooked rice?

Claire, putting a few sausages in the pot would have to be good...great idea!

 

[Claire]

I have to say that since I last wrote on this subject, I made cabbage rolls this winter. I brought a few of them up to a shut-in friend, and she loved what she called "the juice". I brought her up more of it, and will put more sauce in my future endeavors in this department. I chopped up the cabbage rolls that fell apart (happens to the best of us), put it in the sauce. Made a great soup that she truly enjoyed.