Stuffed Grape Leaves With Meat Recipes

MY OWN FAMOUS STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the rice, onion, dill, and mint for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Pour in 1 quart of broth, reduce heat to low and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until rice is almost cooked. Stir in 1/2 of lemon juice and remove from heat.
• Take one leaf, shiny side down, and place 1 teaspoon of the rice mixture at the bottom (stem) end of the leaf. Fold both sides of the leaf towards the center, roll up from the broad bottom to the top, and place into a 4-quart pot. Repeat with all leaves, leaving no gaps as leaves are placed in pot (to prevent from opening while cooking). Sprinkle with remaining lemon juice and with olive oil.
• Pour chicken broth over all to cover grape leaves. Cover pot and simmer for about 1 hour (do not boil, because this will make the stuffing burst out of the leaves). Remove from heat, remove cover and let cool for 1/2 hour. Transfer to serving dish and serve.

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES (DOLMADES)

Steps:

• Mix the lamb, onions, rice, pine nuts, salt, pepper, and mint into a bowl until evenly combined. Gently open up a grape leaf, and place rib-side down onto your work surface. Place a rounded tablespoon of the meat mixture into the center of the grape leaf. Fold the bottom of the leaf over the meat, fold in the sides, and roll into a tight cylinder. Place the rolled grape leaf into a large skillet, seam-side down. Repeat with remaining grape leaves, packing them in a tight, single layer.
• Pour the water into the skillet, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, 50 to 55 minutes. Check occasionally and add more water if needed. Pour off water before serving.

GREEK DOLMADES RECIPE (STUFFED VINE/ GRAPE LEAVES DOLMATHES)

Steps:

• To make this traditional Greek dolmades recipe (stuffed vine/ grape leaves), start by preparing the vine leaves. For this dolmades recipe, you can either use vine leaves sold in jars or fresh (if you are lucky enough to find them). If you use the ones in jar, rinse the vine leaves, remove the stems and leave them in a colander to drain. If using fresh vine leaves, wash them thoroughly, remove the stems and blanch them in boiling hot water. Remove the leaves with a slotted spoon and place them in a colander to cool down completely.
• Prepare the filling for the stuffed vine/ grape leaves (dolmades). Place the rice in a colander and rinse with running water. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, add 1/3 of the olive oil and the chopped onions. Sauté the onions, until translucent (but not coloured). Add the rice and sauté for 1 more minute. Pour in 2 cups of warm water and half lemon juice and simmer for about 7 minutes, until the rice absorbs all the water and is parboiled. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the herbs, remove from the stove and set aside to cool down for a while. This will be the filling for the dolmades.
• Layer the bottom of a large pot with some vine leaves (use the ones that are little bit torn) and start rolling the dolmadakia. (This is probably the most difficult part of the traditional dolmades recipe). Place one vine leaf (shiny side down) on a flat surface and add 1 tsp of the filling at the bottom end (stem). Be careful not to overfill the dolmades, as the rice will expand during cooking. Fold the lower section of the leaf over the filling towards the center; bring the two sides in towards the center and roll them up tightly. Place the stuffed vine leaves (fold side down) on the bottom of the pot and top in snugly layers. Be careful not to leave any gaps between the dolmades to prevent them from cracking open when cooking.
• Drizzle the stuffed vine leaves (dolmathes) with the rest of the olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Place an inverted plate on top to hold them down when cooking and pour in enough water just to cover them. Place the lid on and simmer the dolmades for about 30-40 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the dolmades remain only with the oil.
• Remove the pot from the heat, remove the lid and plate and let the dolmades cool for at least 30 minutes.
• Serve this delicious Greek appetizer cold or at room temperature with a squeeze of a lemon. Give this traditional dolmades recipe a try and enjoy your own fresh homemade stuffed grape leaves (dolmades)!

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES (WITH MEAT)

Steps:

• In 1/3 cup hot oil in 12-inch skillet, saute onion and green onion, stirring until golden - 5 minutes. Add lamb; cook, stirring until lamb is no longer pink - 10 minutes. Add rice, nuts, dill salt, pepper and 3/4 cup water. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes, until water is absorbed.
• Remove from heat. Turn into bowl to cool 30 minutes before stuffing grape leaves. Meanwhile, separate grape leaves. Rinse well in cold water to wash away any brine. Dry well on paper towels. Use imperfect leaves for layering evenly in the bottom of the skillet.
• Lay leaves, shiny side down, on flat surface.Put 1 tablespoon lamb mixture in center of each leaf; fold sides over filling; roll up, starting from narrow end. Do not roll too tightly; rice needs room to expand. Fill skillet with closely fitted layers of stuffed leaves.
• Pour lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 cup cold water over them. Put heavy plat, upside down, on top to prevent leaves from unrolling. Bring to boiling; simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed - 30 minutes. Cool in skillet, if serving cold as an appetizer.
• With slotted utensil, lift out of liquid onto serving plate.
• If serving warm with egg-and-lemon sauce: In small saucepan over direct heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Remove from heat; stir in 3 tablespoons flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt; mix until smooth.
• Stir in 1 can chicken broth and 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Cook over low heat, stirring, until boiling. In small bowl, beat 4 egg yolks slightly; beat in small amount of hot mixture. Slowly return to pan, stirring until thick. Remove from heat. Makes 2 cups.

GREEK STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH MEAT AND RICE (DOLMADES)

Steps:

• Thoroughly rinse and drain the grape leaves and set aside.
• Prepare a dutch oven by placing several grape leaves on the bottom to form a layer.
• In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, except for the lemon and chicken broth.
• Starting with a grape leave, place a tablespoon of mixture at the top of a leaf. Fold over, fold in sides, and roll!
• Place seam-side down in the pot. Continue in a single layer all the way around the pot, and then build a second layer, until all of the grape leaves are used up.
• Squeeze the juice of the half lemon over the dolmades.
• Pour the chicken broth over the dolmades until they're covered.
• If there is any filling left over, add to the pan.
• Cover the dolmades with a small flat plate to keep them submerged.
• Place a lid on the pot, and bring to a boil. Then lower to simmer and cook for about 50-55 minutes until the dolmades are tender and the rice and meat is cooked through.
• Make the Avgolemono Sauce by beating the two eggs until frothy. Add the lemon juice and beat some more until combined. Add juice from the pot of dolmades to egg/lemon mixture and beat until combined. Then, add the mixture to the pan. Gently shake the pan to distribute the mixture.
• Serve with a Greek Salad and crusty bread for a simple meal, or as a tasty appetizer.

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES (WITH MEAT) RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Steps:

• Remove grape leaves from brine. Rinse, then soak in cold water to remove some of the saltiness of the brine. Soak the rice for 10 minutes in hot water and drain. (Alternatively, sauté the rice with the onion. I prefer to do this.) Sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until translucent, not browned. In a bowl, combine the onions, ground beef, rice, remaining olive oil, dill, mint,cumin,turmeric, lemon juice, and pepper. Mix well by hand. Gently separate one leaf and place it shiny side down on a work surface. Trim larger stems off with sharp knife. Place a pinch (up to a teaspoon) of the filling on the leaf at the point where the stem joined the leaf. Fold up the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then each side inward in parallel folds, and roll up the leaf. Roll should be firm, not tight, as the filling will expand during cooking. Repeat until all the filling has been used. I use a dolmade roller to make this much easier and quicker. Because the leaves on the bottom can burn while the filling cooks, put a plate or wooden skewers in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot (see tip below). The plate should fit as closely as possible to the sides. If there are unused leaves, or leaves that were torn and not used during the filling process, put them on the plate or on top of the skewers. Place the stuffed leaves on top, packing them closely together (not squashed), seam side down, so they don't unroll during cooking. Layer them until all are in the pot (2-3 layers is best, but no more than 4 layers). Place several unused leaves over the top. Take another plate and place it upside down on top of the stuffed leaves, with something to weight it down (a second plate works well). Add 2 cups of beef stock or water to the pot and cover. Bring the beef stock or water to a gentle boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 50-70 minutes. (Note: if using water, add additional 3/4 cup lemon juice to the water for flavor. I much prefer beef stock). Check to see if done. If the rice has cooked, they are done. If not, continue cooking for another 10 minutes and check again. Cooking time depends both on the type of pot used and the particular stovetop element. (I have also done these in the crock pot on high for a couple of hours). If preferred, use a pressure cooker. No plates needed, but do use the skewers in the bottom. Pack the stuffed grape leaves into the pressure cooker, add the 2 cups of water, close and cook for 15-20 minutes at the first pressure mark. Serving: Individual servings of stuffed grape leaves are 4-5 pieces on small plates as an appetizer, however they can also be used as a side or main dish. Serve them warm or at room temperature with avgolemono (egg and lemon sauce), lemon wedges, tzatziki, or unflavored yogurt on the side. If I have time, I make tzatziki; otherwise Fage makes a good one. Storage: These will keep well in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Return to room temperature before serving. Drizzle olive oil on top and cover to store. They can also be frozen. If you do freeze, reheat in the microwave or by steaming and serve warm. Don't just thaw and eat. Tips: 1.If you don't have a plate that fits or skewers, line the bottom of the pan with unused or torn leaves. 2.Leftover filling can be used to make stuffed vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and eggplant. 3.To make as a main course, use larger grape leaves and increase the amount of filling in each leaf to 1 tablespoon.

MEAT & RICE STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• In a skillet, heat 2Tbsp of the olive oil over medium high heat and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the spices and let them sweat for a couple more minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the meat, the rice, the onion mixture and the parsley. Mix everything together with your hands until everything is incorporated. Reserve.
• Drain and rinse the grape leaves.
• Take the stems of every grape leaf and blanch them in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve.
• To roll the grape leaves, place a leaf with the vein side up on your work surface. Add one tablespoon of the filling mixture to the center of the leaf. Fold the edges in and up and roll the grape leaf until it looks like a cigar, tucking the edges under the roll. Proceed with the other leaves until you've run out of filling or leaves. (See blog post for step-by-step pictures!)
• Line a heavy bottomed pot with (unrolled) grape leaves. On top of that, add the onion rings.
• Proceed to arrange the stuffed grape leaves in rows, alternating the direction of each layer of rows.
• Fill the pot with the chicken broth (enough to cover the rolls) and the remaining olive oil.
• Place a plate on the top to prevent the rolls from floating.
• Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
• When it boils, lower the heat to low and cook for 40 minutes, until meat is cooked and rice is tender.
• Remove the rolls from the broth and serve warm or at room temperature.

DOLMADES - AUTHENTIC GREEK STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES W/ MEAT (SOUTHER

Steps:

• Unroll grape leaves and place in a pot of boiling water. Reduce heat to medium and let boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, pour out hot water, and cover leaves with cold water. Let soak while preparing stuffing.
• Knead the rest of the ingredientes together. Spoon filling inside a leaf and roll like a burrito, sealing completely.
• In large pot, add olive oil to cover bottom or butter. Arrange rolled dolmades on top. Do this all at once, not as you roll them. Pour chicken broth over dolmades, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
• Serve with Greek yogurt and lemon wedges.

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Leave your grape leaves in cold water for couple of hours otherwise it will be too salty.
• Leave your rice in warm water (almost hot) for 20 minutes then strain.
• Take your 250 gr. ground beef, 1 cup of washed rice, 2 grated tomatoes, 3 finely chopped onions, 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley, 1/2 tbsp. pepper paste, 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste, 1/4 cup vegetable oil some salt and some black pepper in a large bowl. Knead it with your hands until all the ingredients combine very well. Your mixture is ready : )
• Grab your dutch oven, cover the bottom with grape leaves.
• Take on of your grape leaves, put 1 tbsp. of your mixture at the bottom of it, fold the edges and roll. You can see a detailled introduction on our below video. Align the rolls to your dutch oven one by one without leaving any space. If you leave spaces it will bloat and fall apart while cooking.
• Take your dutch oven to a medium heat. Melt 1 tbsp. beef bouillon in 2 cups of water and add it to your stuffed grape leaves. Cover the lid and cook about 35-45 minutes.
• While cooking the stuffed grape leaves, prepare your sauce. Heat your 2 tbsp. vegetable oil in a pan. Add 1 tbsp. tomato paste and 1 tbsp. dried mints, saute about 1-2 minutes. Take it off from the heat, add 1 cup of water and 1 fresh lemon juice, stir until dissolved.
• Take your stuffed grape leaves off from the heat after they are cooked. Hover your sauce over your stuffed grape leaves, cover the lid and rest it for about 1 hour.

MEAT-STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH YOGURT SAUCE (ADAPTED FROM NANCY HARMON JENKINS THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET COOKBOOK)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan of boiling water scald 36 grape leaves in batches. Use a slotted spoon to remove leaves, then plunge them into a bowl of ice-water. When cool enough to handle, cut off stems. Pat leaves dry and place shiny-side down on paper towels while you prepare filling.
• In a skillet, heat onion and oil over medium heat, stirring, until tender. Spoon onion and oil into a small bowl. In same skillet cook lamb, breaking apart clumps with a fork, until lamb is no longer pink. Pour lamb into a sieve to drain fat. In skillet combine lamb, onion and rice. Stir to coat rice with juices. Add tomatoes and 1/4 cup of the stock and cook 10 minutes, or until rice has absorbed liquids. Stir in allspice, herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and let sit 10 minutes.
• In center of grape leaf place 1 teaspoon of lamb mixture and fold sides over; roll up into a tight cylinder. Repeat with remaining leaves. In bottom of a large casserole, arrange 2 layers of stuffed leaves and sprinkle with lemon juice. Pour remaining broth over stuffed leaves to cover. (Add more water if necessary.) Top with a weighted heat-proof plate to submerge stuffed leaves. Bring casserole to a simmer over medium heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 35 minutes, or until rice is tender. Serve stuffed grape leaves hot with a spoonful of Yogurt sauce.
• Yogurt Sauce: In a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a bowl let 1 1/2 cups yogurt drain overnight, refrigerated. Chop 2 garlic cloves with salt to taste until it forms a paste. In a small bowl, combine yogurt and garlic paste, stirring well to mix. Yield: About 1 cup.;

DOLMADES KASIOTIKI (MEAT-STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the beef, rice, onion, tomato, 3 Tbs. of the oil, the tomato paste, 2-1/2 tsp. kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
• Add 6 cups of water to a medium Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Gently unfold and loosen the grape-leaf bunches (don't worry if you can't unfold each bunch completely), add to the water, and simmer until they soften, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Drain the grape leaves, and carefully run under cold water to cool. Transfer the damp leaves to a plate, then cover lightly with a damp kitchen towel to keep moist, reserving any torn leaves. Working with one leaf at a time, slice away any remaining hard stem.
• Put a grape leaf on a work surface smooth side down. Depending on the size of the leaf, the amount of filling can vary from 1 tsp. to 1 Tbs. Put the filling at the stem end of the grape leaf, and roll up from the stem to enclose; it should be plump but not overstuffed. Fold the two sides of the leaf over the filling, and continue rolling from the stem end. Transfer to a baking sheet seam side down, and repeat until you have used all the filling and/or whole grape leaves.
• Line the bottom of a large Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot with a circle of parchment. Arrange a bed of the reserved torn leaves to cover the parchment (don't worry if you don't have enough leaves). Put the dolmades on top of the torn leaves in a circle, placing them as close together as possible and stacking them in two layers, if necessary.
• Gently pour 1 cup of hot water, the remaining 2 Tbs. oil, and the lemon juice over the dolmades. Cover with another circle of parchment, then cover with a heavy plate to prevent the dolmades from floating while cooking.
• Cover the pot with the lid ajar, and cook over low heat until the rice is cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Gently remove the dolmades from the pot, and drain on paper towels. Transfer to a platter, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Serve warm or at room temperature with the lemon wedges.

LEBANESE STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, rice, garlic powder, allspice, salt, pepper, and cinnamon, and set aside.
• Rinse grape leaves several times. If the leaves are small, leave them intact, but cut out the large center vein. If the leaves are large, cut them in half vertically, cutting out the large vein in the process. Place a small amount of the ground meat mixture at the end of each leaf. Roll up egg-roll style.
• Pour the oil into the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Lay the chops over the oil. Lay the tomato slices over the chops.
• Place the stuffed grape leaves seam-side down on top of the chops. Pack the leaves tightly and begin a second layer when necessary. Place whole garlic cloves randomly between the rolled leaves; plenty of garlic on each layer.
• When you are done stacking, pour the lemon juice over the leaves, and add water to the pot to about 2-inches above the rolled leaves. To prevent the leaves from unrolling during cooking, place a plate on top of the stack of leaves and place a heavy object on top of the plate.
• Simmer the leaves over low heat for about 2 hours.
• Invert the entire Dutch oven into a large platter with high sides (i.e. a 12-inch round cake pan). Or, remove the leaves from the pot with tongs. Serve rustic style, with plenty of Arabic bread on which to spread the garlic!

EASY STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Soak grape leaves in cold water for 2 to 3 hours. Jarred grape leaves are very salty from the brine solution.
• Rinse and drain in a colander. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl , combine remaining ingredients. Mix well with hands.
• Place a grape leaf stem-side down. Place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of mixture in the middle.
• Fold in the sides and roll upward. Think of rolling a burrito, only smaller.
• When you have rolled the last leaf, place a heavy plate on top of the stuffed grape leaves in your pan. We use a ceramic plate. This helps keep the grape leaves in place during cooking so they don't shift around.
• Fill pan with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes until rice and meat are done.

DOLMATHAKIA ME KIMA: STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH MEAT AND RICE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, and add the juice of 1/2 lemon and the salt. Carefully unroll the leaves (do not separate them). Turn off the heat and place the leaves in the hot water for 3 minutes.
• Remove the leaves and place them in a bowl and cover with cold water. When cooled, drain in a colander. It is not unusual for many of the outer leaves in the jar to be damaged or to tear while using. Set these aside to use later in the recipe.
• To prepare the filling, start by soaking the rice for 10 minutes in hot water and drain. (Alternatively, sauté the rice with the onion.)
• Sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until translucent, not browned.
• In a bowl, combine the onion, ground beef, rice, remaining olive oil, dill, mint, juice of 1 lemon, salt, and pepper. Mix well by hand.
• To fill and roll the leaves, gently separate one leaf and place it shiny-side down on a work surface. Place a heaping teaspoon (or more depending on the size of the leaf) of the filling on the leaf at the point where the stem joins the leaf.
• Fold up the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then each side inward in parallel folds, and roll up the leaf. The roll should be firm, not tight, as the filling will expand during cooking. Repeat until all the filling has been used.
• Because the leaves on the bottom can burn while the filling cooks, put a plate or wooden souvlaki skewers in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot (see tip below). The plate should fit snugly in the pot.
• If there are unused leaves or leaves that were torn and not used during the filling process, put them on the plate or on top of the skewers. Place the dolmathakia on top, packing them closely together (not squashed), seam side down, so they don't unroll during cooking. Layer them until all are in the pot (two to three layers are best, but no more than four layers). Place several unused leaves over the top.
• Take another plate and place it upside down on top of the dolmathakia, using something to weigh it down (a second plate works well). Add the 2 cups of water to the pot and cover. Bring the water to a gentle boil, add the remaining juice from the 1 1/2 lemons, reduce heat to low, and simmer for approximately 50 to 70 minutes. Check to see if done-if the rice has cooked, they are done. If not, continue cooking for another 10 minutes and check again. Cooking time depends both on the type of pot used and the particular stovetop heating element.
• If preferred, you can use a pressure cooker. No plates are needed but do use the skewers in the bottom. Pack the dolmathakia into the pressure cooker, add the 2 cups of water, close and cook for 15 to 20 minutes at the first pressure mark.