Debs Cabbage Rolls Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Cook cabbage in boiling water just until outer leaves pull away easily from head. Set aside 12 large leaves for rolls. In a small bowl, combine the beef, pork, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, onion, rice, parsley, salt, dill and cayenne; mix well., Cut out the thick vein from the bottom of each leaf, making a V-shaped cut. Place about 1/4 cup meat mixture on a cabbage leaf; overlap cut ends of leaf. Fold in sides. Beginning from the cut end, roll up. Repeat., Slice the remaining cabbage; place in a Dutch oven. Arrange the cabbage rolls seam side down over sliced cabbage. Combine the tomatoes, sugar and remaining tomato sauce; pour over the rolls. Cover and bake at 350° until cabbage rolls are tender, 1-1/2 hours.

CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Wash rice thoroughly. In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups rice and 4 cups water. Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed.
• In the meantime, remove the core from the cabbages using a thin, long knife. Place 1 cabbage in a microwave proof container with a lid with core side down. Pour 1/2 cup water into the container with the cabbage, cover and microwave on HIGH (full power) for 10 minutes. Carefully turn cabbage over and cook covered for an additional 10 minutes. When cabbage is cooked, let sit until it is cool enough to handle. Separate leaves carefully, removing any tough ribs. Cook the second cabbage in the same manner.
• Divide chopped onions in half. Saute one half of the onions in 3 tablespoons butter; cook just until translucent (do not brown). In a large mixing bowl, mix together both the cooked and uncooked rice, cooked and uncooked onions, ground beef, pork sausage, garlic, dill weed, salt, black pepper and sugar and mix well to blend.
• Spoon about 2 tablespoons of mixture onto each cabbage leaf. Bring one end of cabbage leaf over mixture, roll and tuck ends in to prevent any filling from falling out.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare two 9x13 inch casserole dishes by placing some left over cabbage leaves in bottom of each. Arrange cabbage rolls in a single layer tight against each other.
• In a food processor or blender, process condensed tomato soup and tomatoes. Pour tomato mixture over the cabbage rolls until just covered. Place 4 bay leaves on top of sauce in each dish. Cover each dish tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 2 hours. Once cooked, remove the dishes from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before removing aluminum foil. Serve hot.

DEB'S CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line medium roasting pan with heavy foil.
• Cut core out of cabbage heads.
• Put cabbage core side down in microwavable bowl with 1 inch water and microwave for 10 minutes.
• Remove the leaves from the cabbage (Be careful the heads will be very hot, you can do the cabbage prep ahead of time).
• If leaves are not quite cooked, put in covered pot with 1 inch water and boil till done.
• FOR MEAT FILLING; using clean hands mix all ingredients together for the meat filling in large bowl until thoroughly combined.
• FOR SAUCE; in another bowl combine all sauce ingredients together until blended.
• Line the bottom of the pan with cabbage leaves. Sprinkle sauerkraut onto leaves.
• Stuff the cabbage leaves tightly but carefully with 2 teaspoons of the meat mixture.
• Roll up tightly and place the rolls in a layer on top of the cabbage leaves in the baking dish.
• If you have left over meat mixture, you can put it around the rolls and cover with sauce, and small cabbage leaves.
• Drizzle half of the sauce over the rolls (using a butter knife separate the rolls slightly to insure the sauce settles between and around each roll).
• Sprinkle about more sauerkraut over the sauce.
• Start second layer and repeat as above.
• Cover tightly with foil.
• If the roaster looks full, place a cooking sheet under roaster in oven to catch overflow.
• Cook at 350 degrees F (oven rack set to second-lowest position) for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until the cabbage is very tender. Check after about 2 hours).