Recipe: Mother's Stuffed Cabbage

recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap
From: Nancy,.SanFran

Mother's Stuffed Cabbage
Recipe By : my mother -- old files

MEAT
1 1/2 pounds chuck roast -- freshly ground
1 large onion -- grated
1 egg -- beaten
1 garlic clove -- minced
salt -- to taste
black pepper, freshly ground -- to taste
1/2 cup rice -- uncooked
1/2 cup water

CABBAGE
1 large cabbage
1 pound sauerkraut
16 ounces tomatoes, canned -- cut up
8 ounces tomato sauce, canned
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon sour salt* -- granulated
salt -- to taste
pepper -- to taste
1 medium onion -- sliced
raisins -- optional
1 apple -- optional, shredded

*Sour salt (Citric acid) comes granulated or in crystal form. If crystals, use a piece about the size of a grape or small olive. Or use less, and add more to taste. Some people prefer vinegar or lemon juice. Start with 1tablespoon of either, and use more to taste. I prefer the sour salt.

MEAT: Mix all ingredients for the meat filling together. Refrigerate until needed.

CABBAGE: Cut the bottom off and cut out as much of the core you can. Place into boiling, salted water to cover; cook 10 minutes or until leaves can be separated easily. If cabbage is quite large, you may have to remove some leaves, and cook cabbage a little longer. You only need to cook cabbage until the leaves become flexible.

When leaves are limp and cool, place about 1/2 cup of meat mixture on bottom of leaf (on the heavy vein); roll up the leaf a bit, turn sides in, then finish rolling so all sides are tucked in. Continue making as many rolls as you wish, or have enough meat. For me, the 1/2 cup meat is usually just what is grabbed with my fingers before making a fist. (I hope you understand or have seen your grandmother making this) If you have cabbage left over, shred for use in recipe.

When the rolls are finished, sprinkle the sliced onions into the bottom of a large soup pot. Then make a layer of the cabbage rolls, then some sauerkraut, then shredded cabbage, if using raisins and/or apples, spread those around on each layer; do this until all the rolls are used up.

Pour tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar, sour salt, salt and pepper on top. Add enough water to come to the top. Shake the pot to equalize the tomatoes and seasonings throughout the pot. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer 2-3 hours. Taste often to get the taste you wish because the slow cooking will meld the flavors and sometimes mellow it. Shake the pot when you taste to equalize the liquid.

Many times I add a few pieces of rye bread to bring in a bit more sour. Or if there is old piece of honey cake laying around, I will throw that in also.