Czech Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage leaves stuffed with a mixture of ground beef, ground pork, rice, spices and baked in tomato sauce.
Servings 8 people
Calories 476kcal
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1½ lb lean ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork or mild sausage
- 1½ cups white (converted) rice uncooked
- 1 large egg
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp hot paprika or cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
For the pan
- 1 large head of cabbage
- 2 cups drained sauerkraut
- 2, 28 oz cans tomato sauce
- 1, 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 can condensed tomato soup
- 2 cups tomato juice
Instructions
- Soak the rice for about 5 minutes then drain it and set it aside.
- Remove the core from cabbage while leaving the rest of the head intact.
- In a large pot with a steamer basket, place the head of cabbage on the basket with the core side down. Steam for about 5 minutes or until the leaves have wilted.
- Meanwhile, mix the meat, onions, garlic, rice, egg and seasonings in a large bowl.
- After the leaves have steamed, remove from the steamer pot and allow them to cool. Separate the leaves and set them to dry on tea towel. If the inner leaves are still rigid, steam the reamainder of the head of cabbage for 5 more minutes.
- Spread tomato sauce followed by the sauerkraut on the bottom of a large roast pan.
- Chop up unused cabbage pieces and add them to the bottom of a large roast pan along with 1 can of the tomato sauce and the sauerkraut.
- Remove the rigid lower part of the centre rib from the leaves with a pearing knife.
- Roll the filling into the leaves in a cigar style. Start rolling from the top of the leaf, then tuck in the sides to roll it tightly around the filling.
- Layer the cabbage rolls in roast pan.
- Top with the remaining can of tomato sauce, the tomato juice, tomato soup and diced tomatoes to cover the rolls.
- On top of the stove, bring sauce to a boil then transfer to preheated oven.
- Bake covered at 325° F for 2 to 3 hours (or until cabbage is tender).
Notes
Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.