Ingredients

  • 5 small heads of cored cabbage
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 2 large onions, quartered
  • 1 lb roughly chopped bacon
  • 8 peeled garlic cloves
  • 1 bunch celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 bunch parsley, stemmed
  • 2 1/2 lb ground chuck
  • 2 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 2 1/2 lb ground veal
  • 2 cup uncooked rice
  • 1/3 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp salt or to taste
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 (32-ounce) jars or bags sauerkraut, drained
  • 56 oz tomato puree
  • 46 oz tomato juice
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  • Add vinegar to a very large pot of water and bring to a boil.
  • Klara says the vinegar prevents the cabbage from falling apart.
  • Boil the cabbages for about 5 minutes until the leaves begin to release from the heads.
  • Peel the leaves off and place in a colander to drain and cool.
  • Reserve the cabbage hearts.
  • Place onions, bacon and garlic in a food processor and finely chop.
  • In a very large Dutch oven or roaster, saute onion-bacon-garlic mixture.
  • Meanwhile, finely chop the celery and parsley in the food processor and add to the onion-bacon-garlic mixture along with the beef, pork and veal.
  • Cook until meat is evenly browned.
  • Remove from heat and, if desired, drain off excess fat.
  • Allow to cool.
  • Heat oven to 500F.
  • If the inner leaves of the cabbage heads aren't pliable, return them to the boiling water for a few minutes.
  • Trim the thick center vein of each leaf without piercing it.
  • Add rice to meat mixture, and season with cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, and salt.
  • Mix in eggs thoroughly.
  • Place a handful of meat filling on each leaf.
  • Flip up the bottom, then fold the sides in, and roll up.
  • Any leftover filling can be frozen for later use.
  • Chop the reserved cabbage hearts and, in a large bowl, mix with sauerkraut and tomato puree.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Place some of this mixture on the bottom of a deep, large roasting pan.
  • Cover with a layer of cabbage rolls, tightly packed.
  • Press down and spoon on more sauerkraut mixture.
  • Add another layer of cabbage rolls, running at a right angle to the first layer.
  • Continue in this manner until all the cabbage rolls are in the pan.
  • Top with remaining sauerkraut mixture and pour some of the tomato juice over it.
  • Gently shake the pan to distribute the juice and add the rest of the tomato juice.
  • Sprinkle with sugar and cloves.
  • Cover and place in a 500F oven.
  • When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to 350F and bake 2 1/2 hours.
  • Remove cloves before serving.
  • Present two or three cabbage rolls per person with boiled potatoes and some of the sauerkraut mixture.
  • Sprinkle with chopped parsley and paprika.
  • Cooked stuffed cabbage will keep a long time in the freezer, if they are well sealed.