Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Polish Style Gołąbki Recipes

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS (POLISH-STYLE GOłąBKI)

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot two-thirds full of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Using a paring knife, remove the cabbage's core. Using large, sturdy tongs, carefully lower the cabbage into the pot, core side down and blanch.
• As the leaves loosen from the cabbage head, carefully remove them to a plate. Repeat until you have 12-14 large leaves.
• When you have removed all the cabbage leaves you want for rolling, return the individual leaves to the boiling water for one minute, until they are tender and flexible. Set aside.
• Pull or rough-chop any remaining cabbage leaves from head. You will use these to line the slow cooker.
• I like to use a paring knife to thin the stem end just a bit before I assemble the cabbage rolls. It makes rolling them a little easier, and the rolls turn out more uniform. You only need to do this step for leaves that you plan to use to make the rolls. You do not need to thin the stems of the leaves you use to line the slow cooker.
• Whisk together tomato sauce, lemon juice, flour, ground ginger, and Tabasco sauce.
• Add half the suggested sugar and taste it. The sauce will taste "raw," but you will be able to get a general idea about how sweet it is. If it isn't sweet enough, add more sugar a little at a time. (Note that sweetness will intensify as the sauce cooks.)The amount of sugar needed depends both on the amount of sugar in the tomato sauce you use and your personal preferences. Set prepared sauce aside.
• If you enjoy a lot of sauce with your cabbage rolls, you may want to double the sauce amounts.
• Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain in a wire sieve or colander. In a medium bowl, mix ground meat, rice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, ground ginger, oregano, chopped onion, and egg until thoroughly combine.
• Basically, cabbage rolls are rolled exactly like a burrito.
• A - Place ¼-⅓ cup filling on the stem end of a single cabbage leaf. B - Roll the stem end up over the filling. C - Fold both sides into the middle. D - Complete rolling with the final flap end resting down.
• Line the bottom of the slow cooker with leftover cabbage leaves. Place the prepared cabbage rolls on top of the loose cabbage leaves. Stack them in two layers. Do not crowd. Rolls will expand as the rice cooks inside them. Use any remaining cabbage leaves or chopped cabbage to fill in any spaces around rolls.
• Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the rolls in the slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F | 71°C.

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.

CLASSIC GOłąBKI: POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS WITH TOMATO SAUCE (PORK & RICE)

Steps:

• Wash the cabbage under running water. Even though the inside is usually clean (the outer leaves protect the inside), you might want to clean it anyway. Remove the tough outer leaves and discard them. Separate the inner leaves and wash them under running water.
• Cut out the stalk from the head.
• Grab a large cooking pot, large enough for the whole cabbage head to fit. Pour water in and bring it to boil. Add a solid pinch of salt and sugar and stir.
• Blanch the cabbage head in the boiling water, core side down. After a few minutes (2-3), the leaves should peel off easily. If not - cook it for a few more minutes.
• Remove cabbage to a baking tray, but keep the water in the pot.
• (Optional) To keep a more vibrant colour, you can place the leaves into ice water - that will slow down the cooking process.
• Set ten best leaves (largest, unbroken) aside. Using a paring knife, cut the main 'vein' out from each cabbage leaf and trim from the bottom with a knife.
• Peel an onion and dice it finely. Finely chop the garlic with a knife.
• Heat up a tablespoon or two of oil, add in chopped onion. When it turns golden, add chopped garlic and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, cooked rice, a tablespoon marjoram, and cooled down onion/garlic.
• Season with salt and pepper, mix thoroughly - no special tools are necessary, you can use your hands. This mass will be our stuffing.
• Lay the cabbage leaf flat. Place about ¼-⅓ cup of meat mixture in the centre of a cabbage leaf. Gather the edges of the cabbage inwards and roll it tightly. Continue until you have 10 decent-sized rolls.
• Line the bottom of the large cooking pot with some of the remaining pre-cooked leaves - this prevents the dish from burning.
• Place the cabbage rolls in the pot, in layers, one on top of another. Cover with a layer of remaining leaves.
• Pour the stock in. Cook on a medium heat, covered for about 40-50 minutes until the cabbage is tender. Not every cabbage is the same, you'll have to check how soft it is as you go.
• When the cabbage rolls are nearly done, let's make the tomato sauce.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan. When melted, add in the flour. Whisk together and cook for a bit until it gains some colour.
• Pour in around a cup (250 ml) of the stock that got made from cooking the cabbage rolls. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
• Pour in 2 cups of tomato passata/purée and add a tablespoon of tomato paste. Bring to a boil yet again, then reduce the heat to a minimum.
• Season with salt and ground pepper. If the tomatoes are too acidic, add a pinch of sugar to balance the flavours.
• Continue cooking until you reach a desired thickness.
• Serve cooked cabbage rolls, with tomato sauce on top or on the side.
• Garnish with some freshly chopped dill or parsley leaves.

GOLABKI (STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place cabbage head into water, cover pot, and cook until cabbage leaves are slightly softened enough to remove from head, 3 minutes. Remove cabbage from pot and let cabbage sit until leaves are cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
• Remove 18 whole leaves from the cabbage head, cutting out any thick tough center ribs. Set whole leaves aside. Chop the remainder of the cabbage head and spread it in the bottom of a casserole dish.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion in hot butter until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool.
• Stir onion, beef, pork, rice, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place about 1/2 cup beef mixture on a cabbage leaf. Roll cabbage around beef mixture, tucking in sides to create an envelope around the meat. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat mixture. Place cabbage rolls in a layer atop the chopped cabbage in the casserole dish; season rolls with salt and black pepper.
• Whisk tomato soup, tomato juice, and ketchup together in a bowl. Pour tomato soup mixture over cabbage rolls and cover dish wish aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cabbage is tender and meat is cooked through, about 1 hour.

GOłąBKI - POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Core the cabbage: using a pairing knife, cut out the core of the cabbage, about 1 1/2-2 inches (4-5cm) deep. Make sure to cut it out wide enough so that the leaves are not attached to the core.
• Cook the cabbage: In a large pot, bring a large amount of water to a boil (enough to cover the cabbage). Add the cabbage, core-side down, cook for 10 minutes, then turn it over (it should be core-side up now) and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Peel the leaves off one by one using tongs while the cabbage is still in water, stack the leaves on a plate. Grab the cabbage with tongs by the stem, trying to not damage the leaves. The point here is not to cook the cabbage but to separate the leaves and soften them. They should not be completely soft (fully cooked) but only pliable. If the leaves are not separating try to separate them from the core with a knife (if you've cut out too little). If your cabbage leaves are still not soft enough to be easily pliable you can add them to the pot and cook them a little bit longer. Don't overcook the cabbage or the leaves will tear.
• You will need about 16 leaves.
• Alternatively: you can core the cabbage, wrap it in plastic foil then freeze it whole. After it has been thawed you can peel the leaves easily and use them right away. It will take overnight to freeze it then overnight + a couple of hours on the counter to thaw it.
• Cook the rice until almost cooked - about 1-2 minutes shorter than the usual cooking time. Drain.
• Cut the onions into cubes, press the garlic through a garlic press. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions, cook for 5-7 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and spices, cook, stirring, for 20-30 seconds. Add into a large bowl.
• Add the meat and cooked rice, season with salt and pepper (I added about 1 1/3 Tbsp of fine sea salt and 1 ts of ground black pepper but I prefer that you add them to your taste). Stir until the mixture is combined.
• Cut out the thick part of the core.
• Place some of the filling in the middle of each leaf.
• Fold the right and left part of the leaf to the center.
• Roll up starting from the end facing towards you. Try to roll up the leaves tightly.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Place a couple of cabbage leaves in a 9x13-inch casserole dish (22x32xm). Place the golabki seam side-down in the dish.
• Pour in hot broth.
• Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil then bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 15-30 minutes or until the cabbage is soft and the meat cooked through (take out 1 roll and cut it in half to check). Keep an eye on them if they're not browning too much - if they are - you can cover them with aluminum foil. The baking time will depend on the cabbage, if they're not done, just bake them a little bit longer.
• Transfer the cabbage rolls to a plate, reserve the broth! Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer.
• Pour a couple of tablespoons of broth into a large pot. Place a couple of cabbage leaves at the bottom (you can use damaged leaves for that).
• Place stuffed cabbage rolls seam side-down in the pot. They should be very close to each other. Stack them in two layers. I'm putting the remaining cabbage between the rolls in the second layer so they are layered out more tightly.
• Pour in the HOT broth - there should be enough broth to cover the rolls. Cover the pot with a lid. Cook the cabbage rolls over low heat, they should be only simmering, for about 1 hour or until the cabbage is soft and the meat is cooked through (take out one cabbage roll and cut it in half to see if it's done).
• Transfer the cabbage rolls to a plate, reserve the broth! Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer.
• Add butter into a medium pot, cook until it's melted.
• Add the flour, whisk until combined then cook for a minute until the mixture is just lightly browned and smells nutty (whisk it constantly).
• Add the broth, tomato passata, and basil.
• Cook over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
• Whisk in the cream then season with salt and pepper.
• Serve gołąbki with the tomato sauce.
• Enjoy!

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.