Polish Stuffed Cabbage Recipes

STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Using a paring knife, remove center core of cabbage. In a large nonreactive stockpot, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add cabbage and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until outer leaves are bright green and tender. Lift cabbage from water, and remove outer leaves. Return cabbage to boiling water, and repeat brief cooking and removal of leaves until all leaves are cooked. Reserve 2 cups cabbage cooking water. Trim thick center vein from bottom of each leaf. Reserve four large outer leaves to line bottom of pan.
• In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook until golden and tender, about 8 minutes. In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, rice, beef, pork, salt, pepper, parsley flakes, green pepper, and celery. Stir to combine.
• Add about 1/3 cup rice filling to one cabbage leaf. Fold sides of cabbage over filling, and, starting with the stem end, roll the cabbage up. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
• Line a 5-quart Dutch oven with reserved outside leaves. Transfer stuffed cabbage leaves to Dutch oven.
• In a large bowl, combine tomato puree and the reserved 2 cups of cabbage cooking water. Pour some of the tomato sauce over cabbage to almost cover. Sprinkle apple over top of cabbage leaves. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a gentle simmer; cover. Cook for 1 hour or until cabbage is very tender, adding additional tomato sauce as needed.
• Place sour cream in a small bowl, and ladle in about 3/4 cup of tomato sauce from the cooked stuffed cabbage rolls. Whisk to combine. Add sour cream mixture back to Dutch oven, and stir to combine. Serve with additional sour cream.

POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS (GOLABKI / GOLUMKIES / GOLUMPKIS)

Steps:

• Cut 12 large leaves off of cabbage head, cover leaves with boiling water, let stand until leaves are limp (2-3 minutes); then drain OR core cabbage head, and boil cabbage until leaves are tender enough to remove easily (10-15 minutes), very carefully remove 12 large leaves (You may have to peel the outer layers first and then return the cabbage to cook and continue peeling the leaves until all are done); then drain.
• Mix beef, pork, rice, egg, milk, seasonings, and vegetables.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Put 1-4 tablespoons (depending on size of leaf) of meat mixture in center of each leaf; tuck in sides and roll to cover meat (I roll any leftover filling into meatballs and cook them with the cabbage rolls).
• Place, seam side down in baking dish.
• Mix tomato sauce with the sugar; pour over rolls.
• Cover and bake for 45-60 minutes.

POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• You should try to find the largest head of cabbage possible. The larger the head the more leaves large enough to stuff.
• Put a large pot of water on to boil.
• When it comes to a boil place cored cabbage in it to soften leaves.
• Mix together beef, pork, rice, egg, onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Peel off outer layers of cabbage when they are flexible. Cut out hard vein if needed.
• Lay leaves out flat put a portion of the meat mixture on the stem side of the leaf.
• fold leaf over the meat and fold in sides of leaf. Then roll up to the end. Make sure that you do not put so much meat that you can not roll it up.
• Place that roll into a deep oven safe dish or preferably a roaster with lid. Repeat until you have filled all the leaves large enough to stuff or you run out of meat filling.
• Mix together the tomato soup, tomato juice, and diced tomatoes.
• Pour the tomato sauce mixture on top of the rolls.
• Cover with foil or with roaster lid if available and bake for at least 90 minutes in a 350 degree oven. The longer and slower you cook these the better they are.
• Note: The cabbage rolls may be filled and rolled then frozen for later use. Thaw the rolls then continue on with the recipe.
• Note: This can also be made without the work of the traditional rolls. Make meatballs of the desired size, shred the cabbage and place in a layer on the bottom of the pan and then on the top of the meatballs before pouring the sauce over.
• Note: You may add sauerkraut to this recipe if you like. Just place it in a layer either under or over the cabbage rolls. This may be considered traditional but it is not how my family likes it.

POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Place the head of cabbage in a large pot over high heat and add water to cover. Boil cabbage for 15 minutes, or until it is pliable and soft. Drain and allow to cool completely. Remove the hard outer vein from the leaves.
• In a separate large bowl, combine the beef, rice, garlic powder and the egg, mixing well. Place a small amount, about the size of your palm, into the center of a cabbage leaf and fold leaf over, tucking in the sides of the leaf to keep meat mixture inside.
• Pile up the filled leaves in a large pot, putting the larger leaves on the bottom. Add the tomato juice, vinegar and sugar and enough water to cover. Simmer over medium low heat for about 60 minutes. (Note: Keep an eye on them, making sure the bottom of leaves do not burn.)

GOłąBKI (POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil, and salt it .
• With the help of a sharp paring knife, remove the core from the cabbage by cutting around it. Remove and discard it.
• Carefully place the whole head of cabbage in the boiling water.
• Cover the pot and cook the head of cabbage for 3 minutes, or until softened enough to pull off individual leaves. You'll need 18 leaves in total.
• When leaves are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to cut away the thick center stem from each leaf. Be careful not to cut all the way through.
• After retrieving 18 leaves, chop the remaining cabbage and place it in the bottom of a casserole dish with a lid or a Dutch oven .
• Heat up a large skillet, melt the butter, and add the chopped onion. Cook until tender and remove from the heat to let them cool off.
• Mix the cooled onion with the beef, pork, cooked rice, garlic, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Don't overmix or the meat will become tough.
• Flatten a cabbage leaf on a cutting board or work surface and place about 1/2 cup of the meat filling.
• Flip the right side of the leaf to the middle, then flip the left side.
• Flip the bottom of the leaf to obtain an envelope-shaped figure. The unstuffed part of the leaf will be triangular in shape.
• Tuck the leaf away from you to encase the meat and make a neat little roll.
• Repeat the process with all the leaves.
• Heat the oven to 350 F.
• Place the cabbage rolls, seam down, on top of the chopped cabbage in the casserole dish or Dutch oven. Season each layer with salt and pepper.
• Pour the beef stock over the rolls, cover, and place in the oven.
• Bake for 1 hour or until cabbage is tender and meat is cooked.
• Serve with a drizzle of sour cream , or alternatively, mix the pan juices with the sour cream and ladle it over the cabbage rolls. Enjoy.

POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Core cabbage and cook in boiling water- removing one leaf at a time. (Insert long meat fork well into the core and trim away the leaves with a sharp knife) Then shave hard part of each leaf to make it flexible. Layer bottom of roaster pan with large leaves or pieces of cabbage. Roll meat mixture in shaved leaves, tucking ends in (taco fashion) and layer bottom of roaster, In between layers place piercced cabbage leaves. Over top or 2nd layer pour stewed tomatoes, tomato soup or diced tomatoes and peppers for extra spice. Sprinkle with brown sugar and layer top with strips of raw bacon. Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 350 deg.