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Stuffed Cabbage

Irish style, for your St. Patrick's Day celebration
Author: GalleyPirate

Ingredients

  • 1 large head of cabbage (Savoy or regular cabbage)

Tomato Sauce

  • 3 tbsp EVOO
  • 2 Onions, chopped
  • 2 28 oz cans Crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup Red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Brown sugar
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper

Meat filling

  • 2 lbs Ground beef
  • 3 Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup Onions, minced
  • 1/2 cup Plain bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup White rice, plain, uncooked
  • 1 tsp Thyme leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper

Instructions

  • First, prepare the cabbage leaves. Cut the core out of the head of cabbage before steaming to make the removal of the leaves very easy. Find a pot big enough to fit the head of cabbage whole. Fill the pot with 3″ of water and set the cored head in the pot. If you can get a lid on it, great. If not, place a piece of foil on top to hold the steam.
  • Steam for about 10 minutes until you can peel each leaf off the cabbage head with tongs. You will need 12-14 large leaves. Once you have taken the leaves off the head, cut the large vein out of each leaf to make them easier to roll. Set the leaves aside.
  • For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the crushed tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
  • Preheat your galley oven to 350º.
  • Next, mix up the meat stuffing. Combine the ground beef, eggs, chopped onion, breadcrumbs, uncooked rice, thyme, salt, and pepper. Best to mix with your hands like you do meatloaf. Once combined, take 1/3-1/2 cup of the meat mixture, shape into an oval and place it on the rib edge of a cabbage leaf. Fold in the bottom of the leaves, then fold in the sides and roll up.
  • Place 1 to 2 cups of tomato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish or cake pan. Layer each cabbage roll onto the sauce. Continue until all 12-14 rolls are in the pan.
  • Pour the rest of the tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls and cover tightly with foil. Place a large piece of foil or a cookie sheet on your oven rack to capture any spillage before placing the pan in the oven. Bake for 1 hour until meat is cooked through and rice has softened.
  • Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes