Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage

Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage  -  Mom R - 1981

1 large cabbage

1.5 pounds ground beef and pork mixed

1/2 Cup fine chopped onion

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 egg

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 cup uncooked rice

#2 can sauerkraut - NOTE I never use canned sauerkraut, only bagged -

2 1/2 cups tomato juice - NOTE tomato sauce -

3 cups water - use water that the cabbage was cooking in.

1 cup sour cream - NOTE never use sour cream -

Core cabbage and place head down in enough boiling water and peel off leaves, leaving them whole.  Trim heavy veins to make it look flat.  Combine meat, onions
egg, seasonings and rice.
Mix well.
In center of each cabbage leaf place 3 tablespoons or more of filling mixture.Fold sides in first, then roll up.
Place into a lightly greased casserole dish.
Place each cabbage roll with the folded side down.   Spread with sauerkraut.
Add tomato juice and water.  (I always add all the sauerkraut juice)
Serve with sour cream over the rolls.

-----------------------------------------

This is the words from the recipe that Grammy typed out.
There were no baking instructions... so I found this...

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. . Cover pan tightly with foil, and bake for 1 1/2 hours. (Place pan on a cookie sheet in case it drips)
3. Remove from oven and let rest 30 minutes or better still, let cool and refrigerate overnight.
   Here is a photo from this woman's recipe.  She made 16 rolls and laid them
   out in a pan to bake.
   

From making this for OVER 40 years, I have made changes.

I use only ground beef.   I use tomato sauce, not juice.  2 - 15oz cans
I use ONLY the bagged sauerkraut.
I use the water that the cabbage had cooked in. 
Adding ONLY enough water to make sure the rolls are covered...
with the sauerkraut juice and tomato sauce.

IF I was making 2 heads of cabbage, I would add a layer of the sauerkraut
on each layer of rolls.
I always use a pan that has a lid.  Not topped with foil because
it can stick to the foil when baking.
I now ONLY use minute rice.  So many times I would make the rolls
and the rice would come out crunchy, not cooked enough.
I also use 2 eggs. 

EDIT: August 4, 2024 - "Secret ingredient" - BUTTER. 
IF I was making a batch with one head of cabbage, I would add
4 tablespoons of butter.... IF I was making 2 heads of cabbage, I would
add an entire stick of butter.  8 tablespoons. Just slice up and add
to the pan/dish as it was about to bake.

My GUESS is that ONE day, I will no longer be here and someone
will want to make this recipe. 
Of you kids, Kevin has been around the kitchen more than any of you.
I am totally convinced he will be the one making this for ALL that like it.

The story of how Grammy Rothacker and I came to make stuffed cabbage.
Victoria was born April 8, 1981.  I am not sure what month her baptism was, but
Grammy volunteered she and I to make this.
MIND YOU .... I think there were well over 50 people at Mr & Mrs Ferrittio's
house for the baptism party.  Grammy and I had NEVER, EVER in our
lives made this before.  She found the recipe and we made it.
NO TEST run.   It came out great.  NEITHER of us ever used sour cream to top it.
NOT for the party and not today when I make it.
We did use that recipe TIMES 4.  So 4 heads of cabbage ECT. 

MAYBE next time I make this, I will update with a photo. 

Love Mom. 
Debra Rothacker Estep
June 26, 2023

JULY 30, 2024 - Made stuffed cabbage