Dolly’s Stuffed Cabbage

Directions for Ingredients:

Cabbage:

Each head of cabbage uses 1 pound of meat.

1.  1 medium cabbage – do not use dark green leaves

2.  Core cabbage – place core side down in 2 inches of water  and steam  to loosen leaves.

3.  Using a paring knife – take the vein  off  each cabbage leaf

4. Stack and cover cabbage leaves with plastic wrap  and refrigerate until ready to roll.

 

Meat:

1.  One pound of 80% ground beef

2. 3 slices of bacon  per pound of meat  –

dice bacon, saute – but not crisp – add  bacon to meat plus fat.

 

Rice:

1.  1/2 cup of rice per 1 pound of meat.

2.  Precook rice  in 1 cup of water  for 5  minutes .

3. Drain rice, then cool and add to meat mixture.

 

Rolling:

1.  Place cabbage leaf on counter or cutting board ,vein side down.

2. Depending on the size of the leaf, add meat mixture to bottom third of cabbage leaf.

Begin to roll tucking in the sides.

3.  Place seam side down on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.

If you are using  cabbage rolls right away, follow directions for cooking below.  If not, place cookie sheet in freezer until cabbage rolls are frozen.  Once frozen you can place them in freezer bags  and store in freezer until ready to cook. You are freezing uncooked cabbage rolls.

 

Directions for cooking: 

Crock Pot

1/2 stick of butter

Large can of sauerkraut – squeezed dry

1 can of tomato soup

same size can of V-8

Chicken Stock

leftover chopped cabbage

1 apple

Thawed cabbage rolls

 

1.  In the bottom of a heated crock pot, melt 1/2 stick of butter.

2.  Add diced onion, large can of sauerkraut, (squeezed dry ), tomato juice and V-8.

3. Layer thawed cabbage rolls in crock pot.

4. Cover with chicken stock and left over cabbage.

5.  Core apple, (keep peel ) and cut into 4 sections.

6.  Cover crock pot and cook on high for 5 hours.

 

This is Dolly Cieply’s recipe. My mom, Dorothy also made these either on top of the stove or in the oven and we enjoyed these when we visited or for special occasions.  Dad used to call these hand grenades! Dori shared this recipe with me when I visited her in Miami in  January 2013 right after Dolly left for Monessen. They brought back so many memories. Using the higher percentage  of beef ,  (90% or 93 % ) makes these dry.  So use the 80 % beef and the bacon.  I used grass fed beef and brown rice and they were delicious.

This is a labor intensive recipe and you need a lot of time to complete it.  So one day I steam the cabbage and refrigerate  the leaves.  Another day I make the meat mixture and roll. I usually freeze the rolls and cook them when I have 5 hours or  when  I am in the mood for comfort food.

Enjoy