Cabbage Rolls-Sarma

Submitted by Mel Bart

"Authentic recipe for Slovenian cabbage rolls passed down from my grandmother."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 8-10

ingredients

• 1 head cabbage
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork
• 3⁄4 cup rice
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (16 ounce) package bacon
• 1 (30 ounce) can sauerkraut (I like Frank's)
• sauerkraut juice (Frank's also)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cut the top of the core out of the head of cabbage. Stick a fork into the core. Set head of cabbage in a large pan of water and boil for a few minutes until the leaves become loose.
3. While the cabbage is boiling, prepare the meat mixture in a large bowl. Combine the beef, pork, rice, onion, eggs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well (I usually use my hands to knead it all together).
4. Remove leaves of cabbage as they loosen from the head with tongs to a colander. You may wish to rinse the leaves with some cold water so it's easier to work with them.
5. Next, fill each leaf to make rolls:.
6. Cut the bacon down the middle using kitchen shears. Place 1-2 half strips of bacon into the bottom of the cabbage leaf near the core end. Next, put 3 or so tablespoons or sauerkraut on top of the bacon. After that, put a handful of meat mixture on top of the sauerkraut. How much meat mixture you use depends on how large your cabbage leaves are. You can adjust the amount of meat mixture according to how easy or difficult it is to roll up the leaf. Wrap the core side up and over the mixture ingredients, tuck it under tightly, fold the sides in, and roll the rest. This may take a few tries to get, but fairly easy to get the hang of.
7. As you fill your cabbage leaves, set them in a row in a large roasting pan. Repeat the rolling process until you have run out of meat mixture or cabbage leaves, whichever comes sooner. I have found that with this recipe I usually have enough for 12 large rolls with some filling left over depending on how big the cabbage leaves are.
8. After you have filled your roasting pan with rolls, put the remaining bacon strips on top of the rolls and top with whatever sauerkraut you have left. Fill the pan with sauerkraut juice until it comes at least half-way up the sides of the pan.
9. Cover the pan with tinfoil and bake for 2-3 hours.
10. Serve with crusty bread.