You might think this is a typo and be searching for the tomato sauce in the ingredients… but you won’t find it. These are a more traditional cabbage roll, and I have to say I really prefer them this way. Tomato sauce tends to make the cabbage a little slimy in my opinion too.
Think of them like tasty meatballs wrapped in cabbage leaves.
And of course bacon doesn’t hurt too. 😉
CABBAGE ROLLS
1 large or 2 smaller cabbage heads
1/4 cup cider vinegar
kosher salt
1/2 lb bacon
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
For Filling:
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 large white onion, chopped
2 eggs
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp ground celery seed
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the salt and cider vinegar. Add the cabbage and boil for 15-25 minutes until leaves are tender. After 5-8 minutes I use tongs to peel away outer leaves as soon as they will easily peel back with ripping so the inner leaves will soften better. Remove from water as soon as tender.
Meanwhile, mix together all the filling ingredients.
Line a 9 by 13 inch pan with cabbage leaves and set aside.
Using one or two cabbage leaves (depending on size), place a scoop of filling (I usually do about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of filling per roll, but you can make them smaller or bigger) in the middle and fold bottom up, then sides, then roll the rest of the way to enclose. Place on tray and repeat until done.
Cook bacon until crisp, reserving drippings. Chop bacon and set aside.
In hot drippings, sear the cabbage rolls on both sides then place in lined pan.
When done searing them all, add chicken stock and stir to deglaze the pan. (Basically, you just want to get up all the yummy bits in the bottom of the pan. 🙂 )
Pour sauce over cabbage rolls and sprinkle with reserved bacon.
Top with more cabbage leaves or foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size of rolls.
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 smaller cabbage heads
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- kosher salt
- 1/2 lb bacon
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
For Filling:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground celery seed
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the salt and cider vinegar. Add the cabbage and boil for 15-25 minutes until leaves are tender. After 5-8 minutes I use tongs to peel away outer leaves as soon as they will easily peel back with ripping so the inner leaves will soften better. Remove from water as soon as tender.
- Meanwhile, mix together all the filling ingredients.
- Line a 9 by 13 inch pan with cabbage leaves and set aside.
- Using one or two cabbage leaves (depending on size), place a scoop of filling (I usually do about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of filling per roll, but you can make them smaller or bigger) in the middle and fold bottom up, then sides, then roll the rest of the way to enclose. Place on tray and repeat until done.
- Cook bacon until crisp, reserving drippings. Chop bacon and set aside.
- In hot drippings, sear the cabbage rolls on both sides then place in lined pan.
- When done searing them all, add chicken stock and stir to deglaze the pan. (Basically, you just want to get up all the yummy bits in the bottom of the pan. 🙂 )
- Pour sauce over cabbage rolls and sprinkle with reserved bacon.
- Top with more cabbage leaves or foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size of rolls.
