Helen's Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
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Selecting and Cooking the Cabbage |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 3 medium to large heads of cabbage
Very Large Stock Pot
Salt
Reserve 3 quarts of cabbage water*
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Look for 3, young, tender, medium-sized, pretty green-colored heads that do not have any splits or tears in them.
(1 large head of cabbage will yield 14-16 large-sized stuffed cabbage rolls requiring 1/2 cup of filling )
(1 medium head of cabbage will yield 14-16 medium-sized stuffed cabbage rolls requiring 1/4 cup of filling each.)
2. Coring cabbage. The core is what holds the cabbage leaves to the head. In order for the leaves to separate easily during the steaming process, it is necessary to remove the core. With a sharp knife, cut around the core to a depth of about 1 1/2"-2", or enough to start a separation of the outer leaves.
3. Cooking Cabbage. In a wide-bottomed 12-quart stockpot, bring 8 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Gently lower the first head of cabbage into the water. The cabbage is going to want to float, so, using a long-handled fork, hold it underwater for a minute or two to allow the boiling water to begin flowing through the cracks and crevices between the leaves. Do not force or pry the leaves loose. Each leaf is ready to pull away from the head when the fork can easily lift it away. Once each cabbage leaf is free of the head, depending upon its thickness, it will require 15-45 seconds more in the water bath. Each leaf should be just tender enough to fold in half without cracking, yet still firm enough to form a container for the meat filling without tearing. Pay attention. The large outer leaves will cook more quickly than the small inner leaves.
4. For each head of cabbage, I am cooking I line one 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pan with plastic wrap. As I take the cabbage leaves out of the pot, I fold them in half and arrange them on the pan.
*RESERVE 3-QUARTS OF THIS FLAVORFUL WATER FROM THE CABBAGE STEAMING PROCESS! WE'LL BE USING IT AS THE BASE TO MAKE OUR TOMATO SAUCE! (it is so much better than using water, stock or broth to simmer/cook stuffed cabbage in) |
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Filling |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 6 pounds freshly ground sirloin (95/5), or 2 pounds per head of cabbage ( this recipe can be prepared using extra-lean (90/10) or lean (85/15) without compromise.)
1 pound uncooked, long-grain white rice, or 3/4 cup per head of cabbage
3 cups finely diced yellow or sweet onion, or 1 cup per head of cabbage
4 ounces butter (1 stick), or 1/3 stick per head of cabbage
1/2 stick of additional melted butter
1 Tb. to 1/4 cup whole milk **
2 seasoning packets from 1 box of G.Washington's Rich Brown Seasoning and Broth Mix, or 1/2 teaspoon G.W's seasoning mix per head of cabbage ***
1 1/2 tablespoons salt, or 2 1/2 teaspoons per head of cabbage
2 teaspoons black pepper, or a generous 1/2 teaspoon per head of cabbage
6 extra-large eggs, preferably at room temperature, or 2 eggs per head of cabbage
** Milk is added is filling dry
***This WWII-era dehydrated spice mixture was created by Paul J. Campbell in 1937 to replace instant broth/bouillon.
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Place the ground sirloin in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Place rice in rice cooker with 3 cups of water (use a standard measuring cup for the water, NOT the measuring cup from the rice cooker). Turn on, to steam. When the rice cooker shuts off, the rice will be firm and slightly undercooked. If you're cooking rice on the stovetop, be sure to slightly undercook it!
3. While the rice is steaming: Prep the onion.
4. In a 3 1/2-quart chef's pan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the seasoning packets, salt, and pepper. Add the onion and increase heat to saute, until it is soft and translucent about 6-8 minutes. Do not allow onions to brown. Remove from heat.
5. In a medium-large mixing bowl combine the steamed rice with the butter and onion mixture.
Set the mixture aside, stirring occasionally (to avoid clumping) until the mixture is cool enough to handle with your hands, about 1 hour.
In the meantime:
6. Add the eggs, additional melted butter and 1 TB of milk to the beef and, using your hands, thoroughly combine. Add the cooled rice mixture to the meat mixture and thoroughly combine. Once again the best way to do this is with your hands.
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Making the Sauce |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: For three heads of steamed cabbage, in a 6-8-quart stockpot, place:
3 quarts "cabbage water", reserved from above
4 10 3/4-ounce cans Campbell's condensed tomato soup
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper, more or less, to YOUR taste
optional sour cream
Cabbage rolls are not meant to be spicy, but this is a matter of preference. Serve with salt an pepper and a dollop of sour cream.
Do not use Italian made tomato sauce, this changes everything! My mom did that and it no longer was Eastern European.
You can however only use tomato soup if you prefer with 1-2 quarts of cabbage water.
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Bring sauce mixture to a steady simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Continue to simmer about 5-6 minutes or until smooth. Taste. If you decide to add more pepper, continue to cook another minute and taste again. Remove from heat, cover the pot and set aside. |
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Assembling and Cooking |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1-3 13x9x2 baking dishes
Pam or other sprays
From above: cooked cabbage leaves, filling and sauce
Preheat oven to 300-325 degrees
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Spray one to three 13" x 9" x 2" glass or ceramic baking dishes with no-stick cooking spray, depending upon how many cabbage rolls you are preparing.
2. On a flat work surface, place one cabbage leaf, concave side down, and using a paring knife, trim the thick core vein from the center of it. Depending on the size and thickness of each cabbage leaf, this core vein can/will be large or quite small. Note: This step should not be omitted because it makes the rolling process a lot easier and the finished product more user-friendly.
3. Flip the cabbage leaf over, concave side up. Using a 2 1/2" ice-cream scoop as a measure, place one or two scoops of filling in the center of each leaf. Note: Leaves from a large head of cabbage will require two scoops (or 1/2 cup of filling) while medium-sized leaves will need just one scoop (or 1/4 cup of filling).
4. Lift and wrap the left and right sides of the cabbage leaf around the meat filling.
Lift and fold/wrap the core end up over the filling, ... "roll the rollover", until seam side down.
Continue the process until all cabbage leaves are stuffed, arranging them, seam-side-down in the prepared pans as you work. Eight large rolls or 16 medium rolls will fit nicely into each pan.
5. No matter how many stuffed cabbage rolls are in each pan, ladle sauce to within 1/2"-3/4" of the top of the dish, about 3 cups in each. Cover and seal each with aluminum foil. Leaving this headspace at the top is important as steam will build up during the cooking process.
6. Bake on center rack of preheated oven for 2 1/2-3 hours, or until starting to lightly brown on the top. This is referred to as braising.
Remove from oven. Uncover and ladle 1-1 1/2 additional cups of warm sauce into each dish. Recover with the foil and let rest about 30 minutes prior to serving.
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Number Of
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Number Of
Servings:1 Small Army |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Although long and crazy this recipe is the closest I could come to Helen's Gumpkie. We have made these for graduations, holidays, christenings and communion parties. To me, they are better the second or third day by letting the flavors meld. Gumpkie with a little mashed potato is a meal in itself.
Do not be intimidated each and every step, steaming the cabbage, mixing the meat, and making the sauce can be done one day ahead of assembling and cooking without any compromise in flavor or texture, but it is a process so it's helpful to have sisters.
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