Grandma Elaine's Unstuffed Sweet & Sour Cabbage
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 50mins
- Ingredients:
- 15
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 2 lbs green cabbage
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 4 medium onions (1 finely chopped 3 sliced)
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons white rice
- 3 tablespoons water
- 28 ounces canned tomatoes (whole)
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1⁄2 cup dark brown sugar (packed) or 1/2 cup white sugar (packed)
- 1 lemon, juice of
- 1⁄3 cup raisins ((1/3 to 1/2)
- 1 tablespoon honey ((1 to 2)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
directions
- Use Large Stock Pot and wooden spoon.
- Wash cabbage, cut off core. Cut cabbage in half horizontally. Take core out and cut.
- cabbage in 3 inch chunks.
- Cook sliced onions in oil until translucent.
- Add can of whole tomatoes, stir and chop slightly with spoon. Add tomato sauce, half of salt, half of pepper, and mix.
- Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stir occasionally so it doesn't burn.
- Then add cabbage and stir and push cabbage down into the sauce.
- Cover pot and continue to simmer approx 1 hour till you can mix cabbage around in the sauce.
- In large bowl mix ground beef with chopped onion, 1 1/2 level teaspoons salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 2 eggs, rice, and water. Mix well with hands.
- If too mushy, add a little more rice. Form golf ball size meat balls, and then store briefly in refrigerator to get firmer.
- Place meatballs on top of cabbage on sauce. Cover and simmer approx 15 minutes till meatballs feel firm.
- Then gently mix meat balls into sauce. Let pot simmer for approx 45 minutes, then add lemon. Taste for lemon taste, if not add more lemon.
- Then add raisins, honey, and then sugar a little at time to taste. Cook for another 15 minutes, then mix gently, uncover and remove from heat.
- Try not to eat right away so flavors can infuse. Tastes better when eaten the second day, but don't overheat. Only reheat what you will eat at that sitting.
- This freezes well.
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Reviews
-
This is a fantastic recipe! I used more rice than called for (1 cup of brown instant rice), and I cooked it before adding to the meat mixture. The meal is not too sweet (my husband can't handle sweet with savory), and has wonderful flavor! I omitted the raisins (see above reason!!!) Thanks for a great recipe.
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Very tasty! It reminds me of cabbage rolls. I reduced the onion by one and it was just right for us. I used demerra sugar just the right amount of sugar for us also loved the fresh taste of the lemon juice. for the meatballs I added uncooked rice and when cooked the meatballs plumped up nicely. I made the meatballs a little smaller than written. Overall we loved this recipe and will make again. Fall comfort food at its best. Thanks for sharing this recipe.