Pork-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Pork-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls is rated
out of
5 by
3.
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
80 minutes
Servings:
8
Various renditions of this Eastern European staple are found in Poland, Hungary and Austria. Here, the sweet-and-sour balance of the pork stuffing and braising liquid highlights the traditional flavors. The stuffed cabbage can be prepared a few hours ahead and reheated. Serve with buttered egg noodles.
Ingredients:
For the cabbage rolls:
- 1 green cabbage, about 2 lb., bruised or discolored outer leaves discarded
- 1 lb. lean ground pork
- 1/2 cup cooked rice
- 1 egg
- 3 green onions, white and light green portions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 4 bacon slices
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 tsp. caraway seeds
- 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup small raisins
- 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
Directions:
To make the cabbage rolls, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Using a sharp paring knife, cut out the core from the cabbage. Lower the cabbage into the boiling water and cook until the leaves soften, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. When the cabbage is cool enough to handle, gently peel off 12 large outer leaves. Drain the leaves and let cool. Coarsely chop enough of the remaining cabbage to make 1/4 cup.
In a bowl, combine the chopped cabbage, pork, rice, egg, green onions, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Using your hands, gently but thoroughly blend the ingredients. Divide the pork filling among the cabbage leaves. Fold the core end of each leaf over the filling, then fold in the sides and roll up the leaf. Set aside.
Preheat an oven to 325°F.
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon, turning, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
Add the onion, celery and carrot to the pot and sauté over medium heat until the vegetables are tender and tinged with gold, about 5 minutes. Stir in the caraway seeds, tomatoes, broth, raisins and vinegar. Place the cabbage rolls, seam sides down, in a single layer in the pan, spooning some of the liquid over the rolls. Cover, transfer to the oven and bake until the cabbage rolls are tender and the pork filling is cooked through, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer the cabbage rolls to warmed bowls. Ladle the cooking juices over the top, garnish with the crumbled bacon and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking, by Melanie Barnard, Charles Pierce & Dennis Kelly (Oxmoor House, 2008).
In a bowl, combine the chopped cabbage, pork, rice, egg, green onions, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Using your hands, gently but thoroughly blend the ingredients. Divide the pork filling among the cabbage leaves. Fold the core end of each leaf over the filling, then fold in the sides and roll up the leaf. Set aside.
Preheat an oven to 325°F.
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon, turning, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
Add the onion, celery and carrot to the pot and sauté over medium heat until the vegetables are tender and tinged with gold, about 5 minutes. Stir in the caraway seeds, tomatoes, broth, raisins and vinegar. Place the cabbage rolls, seam sides down, in a single layer in the pan, spooning some of the liquid over the rolls. Cover, transfer to the oven and bake until the cabbage rolls are tender and the pork filling is cooked through, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer the cabbage rolls to warmed bowls. Ladle the cooking juices over the top, garnish with the crumbled bacon and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking, by Melanie Barnard, Charles Pierce & Dennis Kelly (Oxmoor House, 2008).
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Arina from
Some advise
If you want your cabbage rolls to look full and perfect not saggy and sad, do not cook the rice before. When cooking, the increased volume of the rice will replace the volume lost by meat which shrinks when cooked. Your cabbage rolls will look appealing and perfect and melt in your mouth. I always make them this way. Some would say that the rice will not cook. I've never had crunchy rice in my cabbage rolls. Rice cooks faster than meat and the cabbage takes even longer, so no poblem there.
Date published: 2017-12-08
Rated 3 out of
5
by
Gourmetmom from
Too labor intensive
I was so excited to try making this recipe. It's too bad that I found it to be just average. I think that the caraway seeds were just too much. If I make this again, I will omit them. It's really labor intensive too. I'm being generous with the 3 stars; 2 1/2 stars reflects more how I felt about it.
Date published: 2014-03-22
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Joyr from
Great take on polish piggies
My Nana made pork stuffec cabbage rolls all the time while I was growing up, but we called them piggies. I have made this recipe twice and really like it. I was worried that the pork was too fatty so I used half pork and half turkey and was pleased with the results. My aunt, who also grew up eating piggies loved the recipes and plans to share it with our polish relatives.
Date published: 2012-10-01