Makes 8 cabbage rolls
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
1 small head of cabbage
1 pound ground beef
1/2-pound Italian sausage
Day old, cooked rice
Chicken stock
Salted butter
Tomato paste
Sugar
Seasonings
1 yellow onion
Green bell pepper
Garlic
Salt
Black pepper
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
Chef Paul’s poultry magic
Dried oregano
Dried basil
Dried thyme
Tools you’ll need
9 by 13-inch baking pan
Preparation of ingredients
Seasonings
Step 1- Chop half of a yellow onion and 1/2 of a green bell pepper. Press 2 cloves of garlic with a garlic press. Make sure you rinse off your green bell pepper before you chop it.
Cabbage
Step 2- Slice off 3 inches of the bottom of the cabbage where the stem of the cabbage sticks out. From there carefully remove 8 leaves off of the stem of the cabbage.
Step 3- Rinse off all 8 stems of the cabbage off really well with cold water.
Tomato sauce mixture
Step 4- Add 4 ounces tomato paste, 1 and 1/2 cups chicken stock, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons sugar (To cut the acid of the tomato), and 1 tablespoon melted salted butter into a medium-sized glass bowl. Stir all ingredients with a whisk until combined and set aside.
Cooking the ground beef and Italian sausage
Preheat your fire to medium heat.
Step 5- Let a large saucepan get hot for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 pound of ground beef and 1/2-pound Italian sausage into the saucepan. Break down the ground beef and the Italian sausage with a wooden spatula. Stir all ingredients together. Let saute for 6 minutes stirring occasionally. Once done turn your fire off and let cool for 10 minutes. Add ground beef and Italian sausage mixture into a mesh strainer with a shallow foil pan underneath it. Reserve pan juices leftover in the shallow pan.
Parboiling the cabbage leaves
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 6- Add 3 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt into a large pot. Let come to a simmer.
Step 7- Carefully add the 8 cabbage leaves into the simmering water. Use a wooden spoon to push the cabbage leaves into the water. Let simmer for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes add the cabbage leaves into a strainer and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Making the ground meat filling
Preheat your fire to medium heat.
Step 8- Let a large saucepan get hot for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon pan juices from the ground beef and Italian sausage, 1 and 1/4 cups chopped yellow onion, and 2/3 cup chopped green bell pepper into the large saucepan. Let sauté for 6 minutes stirring occasionally.
Step 9- Add cooked ground beef and Italian sausage mixture, 2 cloves pressed garlic, and 3/4 cup day old, cooked rice. Stir all ingredients together.
Step 10- Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon chef Paul’s poultry magic and 1/4 cup chicken stock. Stir all ingredients together. Let simmer for 1 minute. Turn fire off and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Stuffing the cabbage leaves
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Step 11- Add 4 Spoonfuls of the ground meat filling into the middle all 8 cabbage leaves. Take one side of the cabbage leaf and roll it over the filling going towards you. Take the sides of the cabbage leaf and place it over the filling. From there continue to roll the cabbage leaf towards you. Once done place the prepared cabbage leaves into a 9 by 13-inch baking pan.
Step 12- Pour the tomato sauce mixture on top of the cabbage rolls while in the baking pan.
Step 13- Place into a preheated 350-degree oven on the middle rack for 30 minutes. Once done remove the pan from the oven. Let the food cool for 45 minutes to 1 hour before serving. For best results, serve the next day so the flavors can settle and increase overnight.
YouTube instructional video
