Authentic Halupki Cabbage Rolls Food

AUTHENTIC HALUPKI (CABBAGE ROLLS)

Steps:

• 1. After cabbage cooks, allow it to cool a bit so you can handle. You will be tearing off the leaves to use as the base for this dish. I tear all my leaves off before mixing my meats to get a little assembly line ready.
• 2. Mix ground beef & pork together. (I was taught to use my hands, NEVER a spoon.) Salt & pepper the meat generously and mix. Add about 2 TBS of paprika & garlic powder & mix.
• 3. Now add the eggs & mix well. Add the juice from the sauerkraut, about 1/3 cup of tomato sauce, onions (I saute my onions in about 2 tsps of shortening until they are nice & brown), and rice. Mix and mix and mix well.
• 4. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce in the bottom of your crockpot (you will need one very large one or 2 smaller).
• 5. Form oval type meatballs for each cabbage leaf. Place the meat in the cabbage leaf, and then gently roll up & tuck underneath, as needed. If it is your first time making them, you may want to use toothpicks to hold each roll together until you get the hang of working w/ the cabbage.
• 6. Begin layering the cabbage rolls on top of the sauce, then some kraut, then some crushed tomatoes. Continue layering. I add ground black pepper in between. I also tuck in any of the cabbage leaves that have torn or are not good for rolling in between the layers.
• 7. Top with crushed tomatoes & cook in crockpot for about 10 hours. And, enjoy! I always serve with mashed potatoes. YUMMMY!!!!

OLD FASHIONED, AUTHENTIC, HUNKY HALUPKI

Steps:

• Method:.
• - Core and boil the cabbage heads.
• -- remove outer leaves as they become blanched -- do not over-cook.
• -- stack on cookie sheet as they come out of the water - they will continue to soften.
• -- cut thick vein from each leaf.
• - mix together your meat, drained rice, chopped onion, garlic powder, parsley, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and egg.
• -- to sweeten up the meat a bit, I add a good squirt of ketchup (there's only one brand - Heinz) and 1/2 can of tomato soup (you probably don't need this if you use pork - but at least try the ketchup).
• - fill your rolls and roll 'em up -- don't roll too tight - you will be able to tuck in the ends by pushing in with your little finger -- if they're rolled to tight, they'll explode in your hand -- or fold over the ends of the leaf when rolling sort of like a round burrito.
• -- it doesn't take long to do this -- have fun.
• Now for the artistry:.
• - Line the bottom of your roaster with bacon - roaster should be deep enough to add several layers and hold adequate liquid.
• - Top the bacon with a good layer of left-over cabbage leaves -- the ones too small to roll or ripped leaves.
• - layer with sauerkraut.
• - sprinkle a little caraway seeds.
• - layer with thickly sliced onion and chopped garlic.
• - add 6-10 bay leaves, depending on the amount.
• - layer the halupki - alternating direction of layers.
• -- incorporate 2 - 3 inch lengths of kielbasa throughout.
• - add remaining tomato soup if used.
• - add tomatoes and sauce.
• - salt and pepper.
• - add cabbage water to cover.
• Bake at 350 for one hour then reduce heat to 250 for three more hours.
• -- or reduce heat to 175-200 overnight - check to ensure enough liquid - don't dry them out.
• Serve with kick-ass mashed potatoes.
• - roast as much garlic as you would like in the potatoes.
• Cube potatoes and for best results add sea salt and refrigerate for a few hours.
• - rinse and drain potatoes, cover with water and lightly boil until soft.
• Mash together with butter, canned milk, cheddar/freshly grated Parmesan cheese, sea salt, white pepper, roasted garlic, jarred diced garlic, a little garlic powder, and grape seed oil.
• Now that's some good ol' Hunky eatin'!

SLOVAK STUFFED CABBAGE (HOLUBKY OR HALUPKI)

Steps:

• Remove large outer leaves from cabbage and set aside. Remove core from cabbage. Place head in a large pot filled with boiling salted water . Cover and cook three minutes or until softened enough to pull off individual leaves. You will need 18 leaves.
• When leaves are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to cut away the thick center stem from each leaf, without cutting all the way through.
• Chop the remaining cabbage, still reserving large outer leaves, and place it in the bottom of a large greased casserole dish or Dutch oven.
• Rinse rice and cook it in 1/2 cup water until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let cool. Meanwhile, sauté chopped onion in butter in a medium skillet until tender and let cool.
• In a large bowl, mix cooked and cooled rice, cooled onions, beef, pork, salt and pepper to taste, egg, garlic, paprika, reserved sauerkraut juices, and 1/3 cup of the tomato sauce; blend ingredients thoroughly. Don't overmix or the meat will become tough.
• Place about 1/2 cup of meat on each cabbage leaf. Roll away from you to encase the meat. Flip the right side of the leaf to the middle, then flip the left side. You will have something that looks like an envelope. Roll the leaf into a small tube.
• Add some tomato sauce in between the layers in the casserole dish or Dutch oven. Place the cabbage rolls on top of the chopped cabbage with sauerkraut and top with all the crushed tomatoes, remaining sauerkraut, tomato sauce, and a few of the reserved whole cabbage leaves.
• Add enough water to cover completely. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to very low, cover and simmer three to four hours. Watch carefully so stuffed cabbages don't burn.
• Serve with pan juices and a drizzle of sour cream if desired, mashed potatoes , and crusty bread.
• Cabbage rolls freeze well before or after cooking and can be made in a slow cooker (see your manufacturer's instructions).

HALUPKI RECIPE

Steps:

• Steam the cabbage leaves and remove them from the core of the cabbage as directed above.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, eggs, finely diced onions, finely diced green pepper, grated carrot, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Remove the firm vein of the cabbage leaf.
• Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup of meat mixture in the center of each steamed cabbage leaf.
• Fold the sides of the leaf over the meat mixture and roll the cabbage leaf, leaving the seam down.
• In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, tomato soup and the diced tomatoes.
• Spoon some of the tomato mixture into the bottom of a dutch oven.
• Place the cabbage rolls in the dutch oven, in a single layer and top with 1/2 of the sauerkraut and 1/2 the tomato mixture.
• Add a second layer of stuffed cabbage rolls and a second layer of sauerkraut and tomato mixture.
• 10. Cover and simmer on the stovetop for 3-4 hours.
• Steam the cabbage leaves and remove them from the core of the cabbage as directed above.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, eggs, finely diced onions, finely diced green pepper, grated carrot, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Remove the firm vein of the cabbage leaf.
• Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup of meat mixture in the center of each steamed cabbage leaf.
• Fold the sides of the leaf over the meat mixture and roll the cabbage leaf, leaving the seam down.
• In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, tomato soup and the diced tomatoes.
• Spoon some of the tomato mixture into the bottom of a large crock pot/slow cooker.
• Place the cabbage rolls in the crock pot, in a single layer and top with 1/2 of the sauerkraut and 1/2 the tomato mixture.
• Add a second layer of stuffed cabbage rolls and a second layer of sauerkraut and tomato mixture.
• Cover and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 on low.
• Heat the oven to 375.
• Steam the cabbage leaves and remove them from the core of the cabbage as directed above.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, eggs, finely diced onions, finely diced green pepper, grated carrot, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Remove the firm vein of the cabbage leaf.
• Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup of meat mixture in the center of each steamed cabbage leaf.
• Fold the sides of the leaf over the meat mixture and roll the cabbage leaf, leaving the seam down.
• In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, tomato soup and the diced tomatoes.
• Spoon some of the tomato mixture into the bottom of a dutch oven.
• Place the cabbage rolls in the dutch oven in a single layer and top with 1/2 of the sauerkraut and 1/2 the tomato mixture.
• Add a second layer of stuffed cabbage rolls and a second layer of sauerkraut and tomato mixture.
• Cover and cook at 375 for 4 hours.

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.

HALUPKI (STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS)

Steps:

• Boil head of cabbage 10-15 minutes.
• Take the leaves from the head (carefully) Mix the meat, salt and pepper, egg, parsley, garlic, onion and rice together.
• Make individual balls out of the meat mixture and roll them up in cabbage leaves.
• In a 5-quart dutch oven, put some leaves of cabbage on bottom of pan.
• Add cabbage rolls on top.
• Mix tomato soup, sugar, vinegar, and water together.
• Pour over cabbage rolls, cover and cook on medium heat for 1 1/2 hours.

AUTHENTIC POLISH GOLUMPKI RECIPE - STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS THAT TASTE LIKE POLAND!

Steps:

• Cook the rice in half the time stated on the packaging. It should be middle-hard (semi-cooked).
• Wash the cabbage and remove the outer leaves.
• Remove the core and put the cabbage inside the boiling hot salty water.
• Depending on the type of cabbage, boil for 1-10 minutes, until the leaves are softer and flexible enough to form gołąbki.
• Drain and cool down the cabbage. Leave the water from the cabbage, you will need it later.
• Separate the leaves- you will use each leave to form gołąbek.
• Peel and chop the onions. Fry them with minced meat and a bit of oil or butter. Keep in mind that frying meat is not necessary! You can add raw meat to the filling.
• Mix rice, onions, and meat together. Season with salt and pepper. If the filling is too dry, add melted butter or broth to make sure it's easy to wrap in the cabbage leaves.
• Place the raw, outer cabbage leaves on the bottom of the heat-resistant dish.
• Start forming gołąbki: take each leave, put the meat-rice filling inside, and wrap it carefully. See this video if you don't know how to do it.
• Place gołąbki in the heat-resistant dish. They should tightly cling to each other.
• Pour the cabbage water into the heat-resistant dish. They should cover 1/5-2/3 of the dish (not more than half of the dish!).
• Cover the dish with the lid.
• Place in the oven heated to 356°F (180°C). Cook for 1-1,5h (until they are soft). After 40 minutes check if there is enough water in the dish. If not, add some more to make sure gołąbki won't burn.
• TOMATO SAUCE- peel and dice the tomatoes and boil them with a bit of water. Fry the minced garlic and onion on oil. When they are soft, add to the tomatoes and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• MUSHROOM SAUCE- peel and dice onions and mushrooms. Fry them on butter with minced garlic for 5-10 minutes. Add broth or water, cover the dish with a lid and simmer until soft (10-15 minutes). Mix the flour with sour cream, add 2 tbsps of mushroom sauce. Slowly pour the flour-cream mix to the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

TRADITIONAL CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Boil rice in a pot of salted water until it's cooked. Saute grated carrots and thinly cut onions with olive oil.
• Cool rice and carrots with onion, combine them together with the meat in a large bowl, add greens and spices, and mix well.
• Bring 1 gallon water to boil in a large deep pan, and place the cabbage in the pan. Boil for 2-3 minutes, cut and takeout the upper cabbage leaves, trying to keep them from braking. Repeat until the cabbage leaves are too small. Let the leaves cool.
• Cut out the hard part of the cabbage leaves by slicing each piece into two and removing the middle of the leaf
• Place cabbage leaf into your hand, add filling and fold over the cabbage leaf into a roll.
• Press the top of the pocket into the filling.
• Place the cabbage rolls into a ceramic pot, spaced tightly together.
• For the Sauce - preheat skillet with a bit of oil, add onion rings and saute until they are golden brown. Pour sour cream and tomato sauce into the pan. Combine everything together.
• Pour sauce over cabbage rolls. Bake them in an oven at 375F for 45 minutes.
• Serve the cabbage rolls while they are warm with a dollop of sour cream.

HALUPKI STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Boil the cabbage for 8-10 minutes, until the leaves are soft and pliable, but not falling apart. Remove the cabbage from the water and allow it to rest and cool.
• To a large mixing bowl, add the beef, sausage, onions, eggs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and rice. Using your hands, just like with a good ol' fashioned meatloaf, mix and knead the ingredients together until everything's completely incorporated.
• Carefully separate and pull off the cabbage leaves, avoiding tearing or ripping them. Working with one leaf at a time, add a nice scoop of the meat & rice mixture. Fold the sides in to create a pocket, and then roll the rest of the cabbage roll up like a burrito, setting it aside- seam side down.
• In a large casserole dish, add one can of tomato soup. Spread it out to evenly cover the bottom of the dish. Nestle the Halupki into the dish in a single layer. Pour the remaining can of soup evenly out overtop of the cabbage rolls.
• Cover the dish, either with a lid or tightly with tin foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Remove the dish from the oven. Uncover, and let rest for 5 minutes before ladling them onto serving plates. Spoon a bit of the tomatoes sauce overtop just before serving.

GOLUBTSI RECIPE; A CLASSIC UKRAINIAN FOOD - Голубцы

Steps:

• Rinse 2 cups white rice and cook in 3 1/2 cups water with 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp salt. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Or do the same thing in a rice maker.
• Fill 2/3 of large soup pot with water. Bring to a boil. Add 1/2 Tbsp salt and 4 Tbsp vinegar.
• Peal and discard the top two leaves from each cabbage. Use a knife to cut out the core of each cabbage (see picture). Put first cabbage in water, cork down, for about 5 minutes, then rotate and continue cooking another 5-6 min. You will pull off leaves as they begin to soften. The leaves will cook faster if they are pulled apart. Remove the leaves to a platter to cool when they are done. You know they are done when they are soft and yellowish and larger leaves will turn a dull green. Repeat with the second cabbage, adding more water if needed. Reserve about 3-4 cups of water from the pot!
• Mix ground meats and rice together in a large bowl.
• Grate and saute 4 carrots in approximately 3 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter over med/high heat. Once they are soft, add 1 cup of mushroom marinara sauce and saute another minute.
• Add carrot mixture to rice and meat. Add 2 eggs and 1 Tbsp salt. Mix well.
• Large leaves: cut the leaves in half down the center removing the tough stem portion- you will end up with 2 leaves. Place 2 Tbsp meat mixture at the top of each leaf (or as much as you can fit - leaf sizes vary). Roll the leaf into a cone shape with the thicker part of the leaf at the base and stuff the wide part into the top. As you stuff your cabbage, arrange them either in the same pot you used to cook the cabbage or in a cast iron dutch oven.
• Small Leaves: slice off the raised surface of the tough center stem just to flatten the leaf and make it easier to roll. Fill each cabbage leaf with about 2 Tbsp meat mixture. Place the filling over the stem/ bottom portion. Roll like a burrito and stuff both ends in with fingers.
• Heat approx. 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Saute remanding 2 grated carrots with 1 tsp of Mrs. Dash. Stir until soft. Add 1 Tbsp sour cream and 1 cup of mushroom marinara sauce. Saute another minute and remove from heat.
• Pour Podliva over the Golubtsy and add enough reserved water to almost cover goloobtsi (2 1/2 to 3 cups).
• If using the pot, bring to a light boil, then cover and simmer 40 minutes over medium heat.
• If using a dutch oven (recommended method), cover and bake at 450 ° F for 20-25 minutes on the bottom third (one step below the center rack). When it bubbles, reduce heat to 350°F and bake 1 hour.

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS (GALUMPKIS)

Steps:

• To make the sauce:
• Coat a 3-quart saucepan with the oil and place over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar; simmer, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
• Place a skillet over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the tomato paste, a splash of wine, parsley, and 1/2 cup of the prepared sweet and sour tomato sauce, mix to incorporate and then take it off the heat. Combine the ground meat in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, the cooked rice, and the sauteed onion mixture. Toss the filling together with your hands to combine, season with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the large, damaged outer leaves from the cabbages and set aside. Cut out the cores of the cabbages with a sharp knife and carefully pull off all the rest of the leaves, keeping them whole and as undamaged as possible, (get rid of all the small leaves and use them for coleslaw or whatever.) Blanch the cabbage leaves in the pot of boiling water for 5 minutes, or until pliable. Run the leaves under cool water then lay them out so you can assess just how many blankets you have to wrap up the filling. Next, carefully cut out the center vein from the leaves so they will be easier to roll up. Take the reserved big outer leaves and lay them on the bottom of a casserole pan, let part of the leaves hang out the sides of the pan. This insulation will prevent the cabbage rolls from burning on the bottom when baked. Use all the good looking leaves to make the cabbage rolls. Put about 1/2 cup of the meat filling in the center of the cabbage and starting at what was the stem-end, fold the sides in and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling. Place the cabbage rolls side by side in rows, seam-side down, in a casserole pan.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pour the remaining sweet and sour tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls. Fold the hanging leaves over the top to enclose and keep the moisture in. Drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 1 hour until the meat is cooked.

HALUPKIS: STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Remove the center core of each head of cabbage. Place in large pot of boiling water. Boil until soft, removing each leaf as it softens. Let leaves cool, then trim the thick rib on each leaf. Reserve 14.5 ounces of the cabbage cooking water.
• Boil rice in a separate saucepot until half cooked. Drain and set aside.
• In a large skillet, saute bacon and discard excess fat. Add the onion to the skillet and cook until lightly browned. Chop the bacon into small pieces and add back to the pan.
• In a bowl combine beef, pork, partially cooked rice, pepper, salt, eggs, cooked onion-bacon mixture, paprika, and celery salt. Measure the mixture with medium sized ice-cream scoop to make each halupki the same size.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• On each separate cabbage leaf, place 1 scoop of the meat mixture at the bottom of the leaf and roll, tightly tucking the sides to cover the mixture. Line the bottom of a roasting pan (not aluminum) with cabbage leaves that are too dark or to small to use for rolling. Place halupkis in roasting pan, making 2 layers.
• Combine tomato soup, broth, chopped tomatoes, and reserved cooking liquid and pour over halupki. Cover and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Add more liquid, if needed.
• They taste best the next day.

GOLUMPKI - STUFFED POLISH CABBAGE (GOłąBKI)

Steps:

• Remove the stalk from the bottom of the cabbage head.
• Place the cabbage in a large pot filled with 12 cups of water. Cover and place over high heat.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Continue to cook until the cabbage leaves become bright green and pliable, about 3-5 minutes. The leaves should not be limp, they should hold their shape.
• Remove cabbage from water and place on a cutting board until it's cool enough to handle.
• In a large bowl combine ground beef, pork, onion, garlic, grated lemon peel, egg, and rice. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
• In a medium pot over medium heat add oil. Once simmering, stir in grated onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Then, add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Pour in crushed tomatoes, water, salt, and pepper and increase heat to high. Once bubbling, reduce heat to low and simmer tomatoes for 15 minutes.
• Once the cabbage has cooled, remove the leaves from the cabbage head.
• Using a paring knife, cut the thick stem or membrane from the back of each leaf. Be careful not to cut through the leaf.
• Move oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• You will need a 9x13-inch baking dish and a smaller, 2-quart baking dish for this recipe. Spread ¾ cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish and ½ cup sauce in the bottom of the 2-quart baking dish.
• Place 2 tablespoons of filling on the bottom half of a cabbage leaf.
• Fold up the bottom part of the cabbage leaf.
• Then, fold in the sides.
• Next, roll forward until the cabbage leaf completely covers the filling. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
• Place the stuffed cabbage leaves into prepared pans in neat rows. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the cabbage rolls.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking.
• Place pans on a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh dill (optional) and serve.

MOM'S CLASSIC STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Remove core from cabbage. Place whole head in a large pot filled with boiling, salted water. Cover and cook 3 minutes, or until softened enough to pull off individual leaves. If the leaves do not pull off easily, return the cabbage to the pot to boil a minute or two more. When the leaves are cool enough, use a paring knife to cut away the thick center stem from each leaf, without cutting all the way through.
• In a large bowl, add in the ground beef, pork, rice, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, eggs, ketchup, tomato paste, and parsley. Mix gently to combine. Add in 2/3rd of a can of tomato soup (almost 3/4 of a cup) and mix.
• To stuff the leaves lay down a single large leaf with the cut edge facing you (where the stem was) and place about a 1/2 cup of the meat mixture in the lower third of the leave. If the leaf is huge add more, if smaller add less meat. Fold the sides of the leaf over the meat and roll the cabbage up (like rolling a burrito). Repeat until all of the leaves are stuffed. If you have extra meat just roll it up as meatballs and place it in the baking pan with the stuffed cabbage.
• Preheat oven to 350F, rack in the center.
• In a large deep dish (4" at least) baking pan (or two 9×13" glass pans), spread out the remaining soup from the open can on the bottom of the pan. Open up a 2nd can and pour out 1/2 of it and spread out until the bottom of the pan in covered in a light coating.
• Place a single layer of stuffed cabbages on the bottom of your pan. Add the remaining half of the 2nd can of tomato soup. If you have leaves that are too small to stuff or are badly torn, add them on top of the soup.
• Add the 2nd layer of stuffed cabbage (you must make sure you have a 1/2" gap at the top of your pan and stuffed cabbage. It cannot go over the top of the pan. Top with the remaining can of tomato soup and spread out evenly.
• Spray the underneath of a large piece of foil. Place foil side down on the pan and close tightly around the dish. Place the pan on a larger cookie sheet to catch any spillovers.
• Bake for 3 - 4 hours or until the cabbage is tender when pierced with a knife. (I start to check mine after 2 hours 45 minutes).
• Remove from the oven, uncover and allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

HALUPKI (STUFFED CABBAGE)

Steps:

• Place the cabbage in a stockpot with enough water to cover.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the water and cabbage.
• Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn cabbage every 2-3 minutes and remove leaves that separate from cabbage and place in a strainer to cool. Boil until all the leaves have cooked, about 15 minutes.
• Reserve 12 oz. of cabbage water.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Trim thick center vein off of bottom of each cabbage leaf.
• In a large bowl thoroughly mix together, ground beef, ground pork, rice, chopped onion, fresh parsley, egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Lightly pack a small amount of meat mixture and place in the center of the cabbage leaf.
• Fold sides over the filling and start at the stem and roll the cabbage up until the meat is encased. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
• Cut the leftover leaves into pieces and place into the bottom of a roasting pan.
• Layer the stuffed cabbage rolls over the cut leaves.
• In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce, reserved cabbage water, white vinegar, and white sugar.
• Pour the tomato sauce mixture over the cabbage rolls.
• Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven until the ground beef mixture is no longer pink in the center, about 2 1/2 hours. Baste stuffed cabbage rolls every hour.

HALUPKI (CABBAGE ROLLS)

Steps:

• 1. CABBAGE: In a large soup/stock pot add enough, lightly salted, water to submerge a head of cabbage. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer. Core each whole head of cabbage.
• 2. CABBAGE: Parboil cabbage until slightly tender.
• 3. CABBAGE: Remove the outer leaves as they become tender - do not overcook. Drain well and let cool.
• 4. ONIONS, PEPPERS & GARLIC: Dice onions and green peppers. Peel cloves of garlic and mince.
• 5. ONIONS, PEPPERS & GARLIC: Heat oil in pan, stir in onions, peppers, and seasoning; cook until just tender. Remove from heat; set aside to cool. *Vegetables should be tender but still be able to retain their shape and texture through mixing and baking.
• 6. MEAT MIXTURE: Season the meat and mix well with your hands, squeezing meat through your fingers to mix thoroughly. Add cooled onion/pepper mixture, minced garlic, and rice.
• 7. MEAT MIXTURE: Again with your hands, mix in cooled onion/pepper mixture, minced garlic, and 2 cups of the rice. Mix until well incorporated. Add more rice and additional seasoning if needed. *At this point I like to take a pinch of meat and fry in a small pan to test the seasoning before assembling the cabbage rolls.
• 8. CABBAGE ROLLS: Take about 1/3 of a cup of meat and roll into about a 3" oblong tube of meat. Place meat at cored end of one leaf of cabbage.
• 9. CABBAGE ROLLS: Tightly roll meat in cabbage (away from you) until you no longer see the meat and the cored end of cabbage meets middle of cabbage leaf.
• 10. CABBAGE ROLLS: Take excess cabbage from both sides of meat and neatly and tightly fold in towards each other, allowing the cabbage above the meat to neatly fold in evenly. *See picture*
• 11. CABBAGE ROLLS: Continue to roll meat tightly until the cabbage is completely and neatly wrapped. At this point you can gently push the cabbage into the meat on each end of the meat - this helps secure the cabbage in place while cooking. Don't use the smaller leaves, set aside for later. Continue rolling until all of the meat is used. You should have cabbage leftover.
• 12. CABBAGE ROLLS TIP: If the thick vein of the cabbage makes it too tough to roll you can simply trim the vein. Be careful not to trim too much of the cabbage. You can see where the vein was trimmed in steps 9 - 11.
• 13. FREEZING: At this point you can freeze your cabbage rolls by placing them spaced evenly without touching on a baking sheet and place into the freezer until completely frozen. Then place the individually frozen cabbage rolls in a freezer safe plastic bag and back into the freezer until ready to use.
• 14. LAYERING CABBAGE ROLLS: Layer enough leaves in a single layers at the bottom of your roaster.
• 15. LAYERING CABBAGE ROLLS: (optional) Next spread a layer of sauerkraut
• 16. LAYERING CABBAGE ROLLS: Add a layer of cabbage rolls. At this point, if you plan to double layer your cabbage rolls repeat with a layer of cabbage, sauerkraut, and some tomatoes/sauce before adding the second layer of rolls.
• 17. LAYERING CABBAGE ROLLS: Top cabbage rolls with remaining cabbage and sauerkraut. Pour tomatoes/soup/sauce evenly over cabbage rolls.
• 18. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is fully cooked and a cabbage roll can easily be cut through with the side of a fork. *This cooking time is based on cooking 20 - 25 thawed cabbage rolls in a single layer.