Best Baked Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Moose Family Recipe
When it comes to a special recipe, Cabbage Rolls have always played a big part in Moose Family’s traditions. Cabbage rolls are always present at big family gatherings and weddings. It all started with Nanny’s recipe and then all the different changes took place throughout the years. I have put together Audrey’s authentic stuffed cabbage & sauerkraut recipe. You will also find that I have added notes with other family members options, changes, and tips.
Best Baked Stuffed Cabbage Rolls INGREDIENTS
3 Lg heads of cabbage: Audrey used green cabbage, but your choice green, savory, or napa.
Meat Filling Ingredients
1 Large yellow onion (finely chopped)
4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
2 lb Regular Ground Chuck (do not use extra lean ground beef or the cabbage rolls will be dry)
1 cup long grain white rice (uncooked)
2 eggs
2 tsps salt
2 tsps black pepper
8 oz of Hunts tomato sauce (8 oz can)
Layering and Cooking Sauce Ingredients
32 oz Claussen sauerkraut (drained and squeezed dry)
28 oz Hunts diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 64 oz Campbell’s Tomato Juice
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Ways to prepare the cabbage.
Prepare the cabbage Traditional Way:
Audrey cored the cabbage and steamed the whole heads until tender.
Easy Way:
Joanne prepares the green cabbage in the microwave one at a time and zaps for 17 minutes.
Jackie uses the savory cabbage, zap each head separately for 15 – 17 minutes.
Easiest Way:
Judy uses the napa cabbage. Milder cabbage flavor.
Napa cabbage requires no steaming, just washing.
All cabbage styles:
After above prep remove cabbage leaves from the heads, layer by layer.
Slice away the thick portion of the vein, being careful not to make holes in the leaf
Set the prepped leaves aside, blotting any excess moisture with a paper towel.
You will need around 40 leaves to accommodate the quantity of meat in this recipe.
Reserve the veins and odd cabbage pieces for placing in bottom of roasting pan.
Reserve small leaves for placing in the roaster on top of the cabbage rolls.
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Prepare the cabbage roll meat filling:
Place the beef in a large bowl. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, eggs, onions, rice and 8 oz tomato sauce.
Using your hands, combine thoroughly.
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Layering sauce:
Tomato Juice and 28 oz Hunts diced tomatoes (undrained).
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Prepared the roasting pan:
Place 1/2 the sauerkraut, the sliced veins, and small chopped pieces of left over cabbage in bottom of roasting pan.
Slightly cover with tomato juice.
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Make the cabbage rolls:
Starting with the largest cabbage leaves.
Rolling the cabbage rolls: place a leaf, inner side up in the palm of your hand.
Place 2 rounded tablespoons or more of the meat mixture at bottom of the cabbage leaf.
Roll up from bottom to leafy top of cabbage leaf and tuck each end of the cabbage roll into the meat mixture, forming a dimple on each side of the cabbage roll.
Place the finished cabbage roll inside the prepared roasting pan.
Once you have one layer of rolls completed then spoon layering sauce over the rolls.
Keep layering cabbage rolls and adding sauce between the layers.
Now top off with the rest of the sauerkraut and a layer of the small left over cabbage leaves.
Cover everything with tomato juice.
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Bake the cabbage rolls:
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Occasionally check for sauce content, if too dry add extra tomato juice, Keep it moist this will help the rice to cook.
After 5 hours, test for doneness by cutting one of the cabbage rolls in half and testing to see if the rice is tender. If not, return the pot to the oven for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Always keeping an eye on the tomato juice content. More sauce means tomato gravy on the mashed potatoes.
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Lawrence/Gajan Family Recipe Changes:
Joanne’s Cabbage rolls have a milder taste.
Filling Variations:
Joanne does not use eggs or garlic.
Joanne uses dried onion powder and one med chopped onion instead of a large chopped onion.
Joanne uses Meehan’s Budget Burger (contains pork) instead of ground chuck.
Joanne uses minute instant rice.(1 cup of hot water add 1 cup minute rice and allow the rice to asorb the water.)
Joanne uses the whole 8 oz can of tomato sauce in her meat filling plus one 6 oz can of tomato paste.
Layering & Sauce Variations
Joanne does not use sauerkraut
Joanne does not layer sauce between the cabbage rolls… she adds one lg can of tomato juice before baking.
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Best Baked Stuffed Cabbage Rolls – Moose Family Recipe Notes:
Cooking Pan: 7-1/2 quart Covered Roasting Pan.
Makes 30 to 40 rolls.
Serve with mashed potatoes, bread, and an oil & vinegar salad.
Stuffed Cabbage Roll Leftovers always taste better the next day.
If you plan to serve cabbage rolls to company, make the dish the day before.
Use any leftover tomato juice to reheat the cabbage rolls.
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