Slow-Cooked Stuffed Cabbage

Name: Slow-Cooked Stuffed Cabbage
Yield: 6 to 10 servings
Ingredients: 1 large head green cabbage, cored; 1 1/2 pound ground beef; 2/3 cup medium- or long-grain rice; 2 large eggs, beaten; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 (30-ounce cans) tomato sauce; 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped apples; 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped onion; 1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped tomatoes; 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar; 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 6 tablespoons cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Cabbage Hanukkah Eastern European Jewish Potluck Ground Beef Holidays Fall Winter Comfort Food Vegetables Main Dish

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6 to 10 servings

16 Ratings

Ingredients (15)

For the cabbage:

1 large head green cabbage, cored
1 1/2 pound ground beef
2/3 cup medium- or long-grain rice
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

2 (30-ounce cans) tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped apples
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped onion
1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

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Nutritional Information

Calories451
Fat18.76g
Saturated fat6.97g
Trans fat1.01g
Carbs51.95g
Fiber6.52g
Sugar31.06g
Protein20.4g
Cholesterol106.88mg
Sodium643.92mg
Nutritional Analysis per serving (8 servings) Powered by

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We partnered with the blog The Jew & The Carrot for some High Holidays recipes. This recipe, by Jeannette Hartman, slow-simmers meat-and-rice-stuffed cabbage in tomato sauce, making cabbage as pleasing as can be.

Game plan: Stuffed cabbage ages well and tastes better if it has a chance to sit longer. If possible, leave it in the fridge for at least 24 hours before serving. To reheat, warm in a low oven using shallow trays covered with foil.

This dish was featured as part of our Hanukkah Recipes photo gallery.

Adapted from Jeannette Hartman

Tips for Ground Beef

Tip

How to Pick Ground Beef

The possibilities with ground beef are seemingly endless, though you’ll probably want to pay the most attention to cost and fat content. Naturally, the lower the fat content, the higher the price. A leaner meat; however, may not taste as moist and flavorful, so keep that in mind if you’re making a meal that’s prone to dryness (like meatloaf or hamburgers). Sometimes the extra fat can make or break a dish.

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Next: How to Thaw Ground Beef

Tip

How to Thaw Ground Beef

Like other meats, the best way to thaw ground beef is to leave it in the refrigerator. If you’re in a pinch, take out your frozen meat and place it on a plate under running cold water. A microwave may also work, but it is likely to start cooking your meat, which you’ll want to avoid.

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Next: How to Pick Ground Beef

Instructions

1Place chopped meat, rice, eggs, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and mix until evenly combined. Roll into 1-inch balls and refrigerate.
2Fill a large stockpot 2/3 full with heavily-salted water and bring to boil. Stick a long fork (one with a rosewood or like handle) into the cabbage head and gently place it in water. When leaves become soft and start to fall off, carefully remove these cooked leaves and place them in a large, flat colander. Return the remaining cabbage to the stockpot and repeat until all the leaves are done. Place the colander in the sink and then pour the water from the pot over the cooked leaves. Gently rinse them with cool water. Drain then cut and discard the thick ends/spines.
3Lay each leaf out on a flat work surface and place a meatball in the center. Top with a smaller leaf, roll and tuck edges so that you have small packages. (If there are any remaining cabbage leaves, chop and reserve.)
4Begin layering; I use a 7-quart Dutch oven, which generally requires three layers. Add 1/3 each of tomato sauce, apples, onions, tomatoes, brown sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, zest, and the remaining chopped cabbage or meatballs. Place stuffed cabbage on top of this but do not crowd them. Repeat until you have three layers.
5Add water until just filled to the top of the last layer. Place on stovetop and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through and flavors are melded, about 1 1/2 hours. Taste sauce and adjust with salt and pepper as you please. Plate, and serve with egg noodles or boiled potatoes.

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