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Meat & Cabbage(Old German Recipe)

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Submitted by anita65

Old German cabbage rolls stuffed with seasoned ground beef and rice, simmered for 3 hours in a sweet-and-sour tomato sauce with lemon juice and onion.

YIELD

6 servings

PREP

30 min

COOK

3 hrs

READY

4 hrs

German-style cabbage rolls (Kohlrouladen) are all about patience. Ground beef mixed with rice and egg gets tucked into boiled cabbage leaves, then the whole batch slow-simmers in a tomato sauce for three hours until the flavors meld into something deeply comforting.

The sauce is what sets this apart from Eastern European versions. Lemon juice and a touch of sugar create a sweet-and-sour balance in the tomato base that’s distinctly German. That long, slow cook concentrates the sauce and lets it soak into every layer of the rolls.

Boil the cabbage leaves until they’re pliable but not falling apart. You need them flexible enough to fold without cracking, but sturdy enough to hold the filling through hours of cooking. Secure each roll with a toothpick so they don’t unravel in the pot.

Chef Tips

  • Use the raw rice. It cooks inside the rolls during the 3-hour simmer, absorbing meat juices and sauce as it softens. Pre-cooked rice turns to mush.
  • Pack the filling firmly. Loose rolls fall apart during cooking. Two tablespoons per leaf, rolled tight.
  • Keep the heat low. A gentle simmer, not a boil. High heat toughens the meat and tears the cabbage.
  • These taste even better the next day after the sauce has fully penetrated the rolls. Reheat gently on the stove.

Variations

  • Pork and beef mix: Use half ground pork for a richer, more traditional German flavor.
  • Sauerkraut base: Layer sauerkraut on the bottom of the pot before adding the rolls for extra tang.
  • Mushroom gravy version: Replace the tomato sauce with a brown mushroom gravy for a Northern German twist.

Ingredients

1 453.6
POUND G BEEF
ground
79
CUP ML RICE
uncooked
2 30
TABLESPOONS ML BUTTER
1 1
EACH ONION
finely
1 1
LARGE EACH EGG
well beaten
1 237
CUP ML TOMATOES
soup
1 1
EACH LEMON
juice of
1 5
TEASPOON ML SUGAR
1 5
TEASPOON ML PARSLEY LEAVES
minced
½ 118
CUP ML CELERY
chopped
1
X SALT AND BLACK PEPPER
to taste *
6 6

Directions

Season the hamburger well with salt and pepper and add the egg.

Mix well.

Mix in rice. To make sauce, melt the butter and add the 3 tomato soup and an equal amount of water and add to onion.

Add the parsley, celery, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes.

Wash the cabbage leaves and boil until tender.

Put 2 tablespoon of meat mixture in each leaf and roll tightly.

Secure each roll with a toothpick.

Place in a saucepan and pour sauce over rolls.

Cover pan tightly and cook slowly for 3 hours.

Serve very hot.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 163g (5.7 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 310 54% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 8g 41%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 106mg 35%
Sodium 94mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars g
Protein 45g
Vitamin A 9% Vitamin C 16%
Calcium 3% Iron 13%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free, Low Sodium
 
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