JOSEPHINE GRESKO'S STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Josephine Gresko's Stuffed Cabbage Rolls image

I posted this here so I wouldn't lose it. I think it is one of the most authentic cabbage roll recipes I have found. This is originally from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Thank you Josephine. (I take no credit for this recipe.)

Provided by pittgal

Categories Meat

Time 3h15m

Yield 28 rolls, 8-10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

2 medium cabbage, cored
2 lbs ground round or 2 lbs chuck
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1 cup raw long-grain white rice (not converted rice)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
salt & fresh ground pepper
1 lb sauerkraut, from a bag, drained and rinsed
28 ounces can crushed tomatoes
2 cups tomato juice

Steps:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add a cabbage. Reduce heat slightly and blanch cabbage, turning a few times, about 5 minutes, until leaves begin loosening and look translucent.
With cabbage in water, use long-handled fork or tongs to pull off leaves as they loosen.
Remove what's left of cabbage and repeat with other cabbage.
Don't discard inner leaves or broken leaves. Reserve water.
Let cabbage cool.
In large bowl or tub, put ground beef, onion, celery, rice, eggs, parsley flakes, garlic salt, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Mix well with hands, adding 1/4 cup water if mixture feels "tight.".
With paring knife, trim thick cores from outer sides of cabbage leaves. Coarsely chop smaller leaves and cabbage bits; strew half in bottom of an 18-by-10-by-3-inch heavy-duty foil roasting pan.
Pour reserved cabbage water over sauerkraut in a colander to rinse more, if you like.
Drain well.
Strew half the kraut over cabbage in pan.
Pour in half the crushed tomatoes and 1 cup tomato juice.
Season with salt and pepper; mix well.
For rolls, shape about 1/4 cup meat into a sausage (not too tight) for a large leaf, less for a smaller leaf.
Put filling on the bottom of the leaf, and fold the bottom over the filling, pressing inches
Then fold in the sides, pressing and rolling, but not too tight, not worrying if a leaf breaks.
Filled leaves are placed seam-side down in pan, in even rows, 5 or 6 across, making 25 to 28 rolls.
Strew remaining chopped cabbage (chop any unused leaves) and sauerkraut over the rolls.
Top with remaining crushed tomatoes and tomato juice.
Salt and pepper generously.
Rinse crushed tomato can with about 1/2 can water.
Pour water over top; don't worry about mixing it.
Cover pan tightly with foil.
Bake in 325-degree oven 1 hour. (Check after 30 minutes to be sure it's bubbling. If not, turn oven to 350 degrees.).
After 1 hour, reduce temperature to 250 degrees. Bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer, until rolls are tender and meat and rice fully cooked (cut open a roll to check).