Mom's Stuffed Cabbage (Mamin Sarma)

This is my mother's recipe for stuffed cabbage. She made it both baked and as a soup cooked on the stovetop. This recipe is for both versions. We preferred  the soup version to the baked.

1 large head cabbage, 3 to 4 pounds
1 pound ground chuck
1/2 pound ground pork

1 pound skinless kielbasa cut into large 1-2 inch chunks
1 cup raw rice, cooked (another use for the boil-in-bag rice)

1 egg, beaten
1 medium onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Vegeta (if available)
1 (32-ounce) jar sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato soup

1 small can V8 vegetable juice (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Prepare the Cabbage

Wash and peel off any leaves that are damaged or very dark green because they will be bitter to taste and discard them. Cut out the hard core on the bottom of the cabbage and cook the cabbage until outer leaves are limp. Remove leaves, place on a dish, and continue. With a paring knife, remove tough ribs from the back of the leaves without damaging leaves. Reserve tougher outer leaves but don't use for rolling.

Make the Filling

In a medium bowl, mix ground chuck, ground pork, rice, onion, garlic, egg, Vegeta, salt and pepper. Adding a little water will make the mixture easier to handle.

Assemble the Rolls

Heap 2 tablespoons of filling on each leaf, fold the top of the cabbage leaf up over meat, then fold sides to the center, and roll away from yourself to encase completely. Repeat until meat filling is gone.

Cook the Sarma Soup

Discard the cabbage core and coarsely chop any remaining cabbage except the tough outer leaves you have reserved. Spread chopped cabbage on the bottom of a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Layer on the cabbage rolls, seam side down. Layer the sauerkraut between each layer of cabbage rolls. Cut the kielbasa into large pieces (1-2 inches thick is fine) and place between the cabbage roll layers. Add the can of crushed tomatoes with liquid spreading evenly over the rolls. Cover rolls with reserved outer leaves. Mix tomato sauce and soup with enough water to make a liquidy consistency and pour over rolls until mixture is over the top of the cabbage rolls. Use the soup can to measure the water. About 2 cans of water should be enough. Cover and cook 1 hour on medium heat. Then reduce temperature to low and cook for 2 more hours. Let sit 20 to 30 minutes before serving.  You may need to add a little more water from time to time. Keep checking if the water level reduces, add more a little at a time. This recipe freezes well.

Baked Version

Make the cabbage rolls as listed above. In a large roasting pan or electric roaster, layer all ingredients the same way as in the soupy version. Add the can of diced tomatoes and liquid spreading evenly. Place the reserved cabbage leaves on top. Spoon the undiluted tomato soup over the leaves. Spread over the rolls evenly. Using the soup can to measure, pour 2 cans of water over the entire cabbage roll mix. Pour the V8 juice over the top as well if you decide to use it. Bake covered in a 375º F oven for 1 hour then reduce the temperature to 325º F and bake an additional 2-3 hours or until the cabbage is soft. If more liquid is desired or needed, add a little more water or  a little more V8 juice.

NOTE: We always served this with mashed potatoes with a little of the "sauce" on top.