Cooking cabbage roll recipies and ideas?

[pampam]

To start, I've always put my cabbage in the freezer before I start to make the leaves pliable and easier to work with. However I have heard of those who microwave the cabbage and take off leaves as they become softer. Is this easier? I'll have to see if the cabbage will fit into the microwave.

I also heard I can put the cabbage rolls together with raw cabbage and raw rice, and then cook them with your tomato juice or whatever. I've never tried that but it seems it would save a lot of work. I suppose I would have to use very lean beef so they wouldn't be too greasy.

Anyone ever tried this?

 

[greeneeyes]

To start, I've always put my cabbage in the freezer before I start to make the leaves pliable and easier to work with. However I have heard of those who microwave the cabbage and take off leaves as they become softer. Is this easier? I'll have to see if the cabbage will fit into the microwave.

I also heard I can put the cabbage rolls together with raw cabbage and raw rice, and then cook them with your tomato juice or whatever. I've never tried that but it seems it would save a lot of work. I suppose I would have to use very lean beef so they wouldn't be too greasy.

Anyone ever tried this?

My grandmother (who was Ukrainian) always had a large pot of water boiling , with a bit of oil added, to help with the leaves. Boil the water, add a bit of salt and just a tbs of oil, put a pot fork into the core, remove the large outer leaves (set aside) and add the head to the water (fork up) and it will float and the leaves will soften. Then remove the leaves one by one as they become soft, use a paring knife to cut thru the thick vein near the bottom. Set aside to cool.
Brown the ground beef (or whatever you use) with some diced onions. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add in some uncooked instant rice OR par boiled regular rice and mix well. Place 1/2 can of undiluted tomato soup in the bottom of a heavy pan and line the bottom with the tough outer leaves. Split the thick vein of each leaf about 1/2 inch, stuff and roll. Place in the pan adding some more tomato soup to cover each layer. Cover the pot and cook on low until done (the rolls will swell and solidify as the rice cooks). Serve hot with some of the tomato sauce.

Now grandma always used raw regular rice and cooked hers all day long on very low heat, but I don't have that kind of time. I have also cooked them in my crockpot all day and they come out very well, just made them 2 weeks ago.

 

[semo233]

When making stuffed cabbage for a crowd, I make it like a lazagna! No rolling and just layering. I still cook the cabbage first and then use the cabage like I would use the pasta for lazagna.
When I need to make it quickly for just us, I shred the raw cabbage and layer it so that the cabbage will cook quickly.
Just two more ideas.

 

[kathie859]

When making stuffed cabbage for a crowd, I make it like a lazagna! No rolling and just layering. I still cook the cabbage first and then use the cabage like I would use the pasta for lazagna.
When I need to make it quickly for just us, I shred the raw cabbage and layer it so that the cabbage will cook quickly.
Just two more ideas.

I can't wait to make a cabbage role lasagne Thanks for the interesting idea!

 

[charming23]

Love the idea of cabbage roll lasagna. Will have to try it at our next family gathering. Thanks.

 

[Halbleib1]

In my family we actually cover them with spagetti sauce as we do not like tomatoe soup on them. We boil the cabbage on the stovetop until it is tender, brown the hamburger and cook the rice. We hold the cabbage together with toothpicks once we have stuffed them. Layer in a pan and cover with spagetti sauce. Bake them in the oven until the cabbage is well cooked. To reheat we throw them in the crockpot. I actually only like them once they have been cooked in the crockpot until they fall apart and the cabbage breaks up into little pieces and mixes with the hamburger rice and sauce. I do not like cooked cabbage and cooking it this way gives it a tangy taste but does not overwhelm it with the cabbage taste. We actually call them pigs in the blanket which my husband got a kick out of when I first met him. He had never had them before and thought pigs in the blanket was an odd name since there is no pork in them. Although some people use ground pork instead of ground beef. Thus the name I guess. Interestingly enough I had never heard about the mini hotdog pigs in the blanket until I went to college.

I know some people that do bake them without cooking the cabbage first but they always cook the ground beef first as well as the rice. It just takes longer for the cabbage to cook if you do not boil it first and it comes out tougher as well. So it is probably best to par boil first.