Filling:

3 lb. ground beef

1 lb. ground pork

Sausage link / ham shank / ham pieces / country style rib, bone in

3 eggs

1 medium onion, chopped

1 - 2 cups uncooked rice

Cabbage Rolls

2 Cabbage heads (green or savoy)

4 bags Sour kraut -  1 or 2  jars

Parsley flakes

Paprika - meat and roux

Allspice, whole

Cloves, whole

Peppercorns, whole

Crisco/canola oil - start of recipe and roux

Flour - roux

Garlic, chopped

D’Onofrios or Farrell Golden Dawn - ground beef, ground pork, smoked ham shank

Walker’s Meats in West Side Market - smoked ham shank (November/December)

Mix together ground beef, ground pork, eggs, parsley, chopped onion, parsley flakes, paprika, and rice. Add uncooked rice to the mixture.

Cut the stem off the bottom of the cabbage. Steam cabbage head in a pot with water. Remove the bottom of the cabbage stem, cut thick cabbage ribs in pieces to add to the bottom of the pot. Don’t overcook, steam to make pliable to wrap meat mixture. 

Remove cabbage leaves and separate.

Rinse sour kraut from the bag, so it is not too sour. Save liquid in a bowl.

Roll meat mixture into a ball and add to the center of the cabbage leaf. Pinch the sides of the cabbage to seal.

Saute onions and thicker cabbage pieces in the bottom of the stock pot. Remove from heat. Add paprika and mix together. 

Layer sour kraut, cabbage rolls, and spices.

Bottom layer

Oil

Onions

Cabbage ribs

Saute oil and onions until translucent. Add cabbage rib pieces. 

Add a little rinsed sour kraut on the bottom of pot

Layer 1

Cabbage wrapped pigs

Ham shank

Sausage

Bay leaves, 1 or 2

Whole all spice, 3 - 4

Peppercorns, 3 - 4

Cloves, 2 

Layer 2

Sour kraut

Cabbage wrapped pigs

Ham shank

Sausage

Bay leaves

Whole all spice

Peppercorns

Cloves

Repeat as needed.

Final layer:

Pot filled to the top.

Insert the end of a wooden spoon to make holes. 

Drizzle juice into the holes.

NY Day or morning:

Cook sour kraut with water.

Add 2 ½ cups sour kraut juice.

Pour over the pot.

Start at 10:00 - 11:00 AM. Cook low for 2 - 3 hours. Shift the pot, so the bottom does not scorch. 

Last 30 minutes to 1 hour. 

Insert wooden spoon ends to make roads.

Roux:

2 Tbsp. flour

Canola oil (2 Tbsp.)

Brown until golden.

Chopped garlic, paprika, cold water.

Thicken similarly to canned tomato soup consistency.