Dinner? Cabbage rolls, a.k.a. golubki

[perc-o-prince]

I haven't made these for years and I've been Jonesin' for them since I bought cabbage for St. Patrick's Day!

First, get the leaves off the cabbage without tearing them. Some cut them from the core, carefully pull them from the head, then boil them for a couple of minutes. I cut around the core and plop the head in simmering water. After a few minutes, I can start to pull them away and put them in a strainer. After another minute or two, I can do more.

 

[perc-o-prince]

.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Here's the filling. I know someone's gonna ask, so I tried to measure. Poured the stuff in my hand as usual then approximated!

2.5# ground beef (can use part beef and part lamb or pork)
1/4t dried thyme
1/2t dried marjoram
1/4t ground nutmeg
1t granulated garlic
3/4t ground pepper
2T dried parsley flakes
3/4c rice, prepared (cook 3/4c rice in 1 1/2c water per package directions)
1 lg onion, cut in small dice and sauteed in 2T oil until soft, reserve pan

 

[perc-o-prince]

Cut most of the thickness from the center vein on the cabbage so it's easier to roll. I do love the ceramic knives Rich got me for Christmas.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Plop filling on the inside of the leaf, stem end.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Fold the stem end over the filling and fold one side in.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Fold the other side in...

 

[perc-o-prince]

...then roll until the seam is on the bottom.

 

[perc-o-prince]

I spray the pan with non-stick spray then put a thin layer of crushed tomato sauce on the bottom. I've seasoned the sauce (28oz crushed tomatoes, made in the pan I sauteed the onions in) with a little garlic, rosemary and a touch of marjoram. Before I put the rolls in I sprinkle the bottom with parsley. The rolls need to fit snugly so they don't unroll.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Sometimes you need to rearrange a little...

 

[58limited]

Rich

Looks really good. It has been a few years since I've made these. I couldn't find my mom's recipe so I winged it and they turned out pretty good. I need to try your filling, mine wasn't seasoned as much. I posted about this on here several years ago, probably can find it via the search function, but I don't think I posted the actual recipe.

 

EDIT: Found it, no recipe, and the pictures are missing from the old post.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Spoon the rest of the sauce on top of the rolls, cover tightly with foil, and bake for about 1 hour at 350F. I put them in at 6:30 and will let you know how they come out!

Chuck

 

[perc-o-prince]

Hey David,

Notice there isn't a lot of seasoning by volume, but a little bit of a few different seasonings. I've taken from the various recipes I've heard of over the years and modified them. This also helps as I don't usually add salt unless it serves a scientific function as in baking. The one thing I don't think you can leave out is the marjoram. Well, you can, but then you have to call them cabbage rolls and not golabki!

Some people also cook them in more of a broth instead of a tomato sauce. And, I've heard of sour cream being added to the sauce/broth before serving it.

Just checked them and they're not quite ready. Smelling good here, but not ready yet!

Chuck

 

[58limited]

I used a tomato sauce with a bit of a twist: I baked the rolls on a bed of sliced carrots and celery. After an hour or so, I removed the rolls, pureed the carrots and celery, and added them to a tomato sauce. I put the rolls back in with the sauce and baked another 30 minutes. I'll have to go find the recipe in my recipe box - I may make these this week.

 

[petek]

Those look delish, I've never made them. I've gotten mine either from friends or the annual bazaar at the Polish Hall. However this year was a huge disappointment. I went with my Polish buddy and we each bought bag loads of perogie and quite a number of cabbage rolls. Of course he knows all the old polish ladies who were friends with his mom and who did all the cooking and I've met quite a few of them when we're out here or there. When I say disappointing it was because I went to cook some for lunch one day, cut into one and nothing but rice fell out. I couldn't find anything much else in them. So the next time I'm over visiting my friend he asked me how I liked the cabbage rolls and I was sort of hesitant to say anything so I just said, well they had a lot of rice in them.. He said the same thing and that his brother had as well, they were terrible. I just left the rest in the freezer, they're probably all freezer burned by now.

 

[wayupnorth]

Excessive YUM

I havnt made them in a while but really like them. I usually put some shreaded cheese on top at the near the end of baking to melt into the sauce. Thats right not to use so much rice as it overpowers everything else in the filling.

 

[mattl]

Your method is similar to what I learned from my dad, but we use none of the spices you use.  Our recipe is quite simple, par boiled rice, not fully cooked, chopped onion, an egg and salt and pepper.  I roll as you do but use 1 can tomato soup undiluted and 1 can of tomato bisque soup undiluted.  We use a deep pot and layer it 2 or 3 deep, top with extra cabbage leaves to keep it moist, and cover.

 

Odds are there are hundred of variations on the basic golumbek, just as many as the cooks that make them.

 

[kevin313]

Rich - great photos of your process! These look yummy. I especially like the sauce that you make for them. Our family recipe uses tomato soup as the base for the sauce, so it is thinner. I'll bet they were delcious - and even better the next day! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!

 

[perc-o-prince]

A number of recipes call for equal parts meat and rice. No thanks! Would you use equal parts meat and (bread crumb, cracker crumb, etc) in your meatballs?

I really debated on the sauce. Tomato soup is pretty common to use for these and I've done it before (and had a can of it in my hand when at the market). It does make a nice sauce but I was in the mood for this one this time.

Kevin- Thanks! I'll let you know as it's leftovers tonight!

 

[perc-o-prince]

Did the double veg last night. Maybe we'll do mashed potatoes and a veg tonight. Of course, that means I'll have to break out the tomato soup and simmer some rolls in it so we have the sauce for the potatoes!!

 

[xraytech]

They look good, I love cabbage rolls.
I usually use a mix of 2/3 ground chuck and 1/3 ground pork with rice, puréed onions and garlic salt and pepper. I usually use a deep pot lined with cabbage leaves and I put polish style sauerkraut between layers of rolls. For a sauce I use a # 2 1/2 can of tomato sauce and a can of tomato soup. I also simmer mine on the stovetop for a few hours

 

[launderess]

Equal Parts Meat, Rice, Bread Crumbs, Etc....

Old (very old) housewive or cook trick to extend a portion of meat to make it go further.

If times were tight and or meat scarce, but you've got a family, especially a large one to feed daily, you learn quickly how to stretch the grocery/butcher budget.

During the big recession and high inflation times of the 1970's remember many mothers adding all sorts of things to meat balls, meat loaf, etc go get more out of pound of ground beef/chuck.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Old (very old) housewive or cook trick to extend a portion o

a.k.a. a depression era or wartime tactic. Trouble is, some never re-adjusted after the depression or war was over and meat was once again available and/or affordable!

Chuck

 

[launderess]

Well Yes, There Is That

But consider also many wives were also mothers and had to make do with hubby's allowance for groceries. In the era when it was not uncommon to have huge families with >4 children but not allot of money coming in even in the best of times, you did what you had to do.

 

[58limited]

I use 1 pound each of pork and turkey with one cup rice (uncooked measure) plus I take all of the small cabbage leaves that are too small to roll and chop them into the meat mixture. I kinda like the rice but I've been thinking of adding more meat next time I make this.

 

[perc-o-prince]

But consider also many wives were also mothers and had to ma

Didn't even think of that, but when I grew up, before my mother went back to outside-the-house work, my father gave her the paycheck and she took care of everything. This is why when she died, he told me he didn't understand how she paid the bills (didn't understand you don't have to pay them all at the same time!).

Chuck

 

[launderess]

One That Is About To Be Cut Off Is Paid Frist!

*LOL*

Others are strung along as best one can! *LOL*

Remember as well many old time corner grocery stores, butchers and so forth would let a family run up a house tab. Since this was a local concern it was likely everyone knew everyone else's business when it came to econmic situations. If a man was out of work say maybe because of an injury or illness a bit more time might be given to settle credit accounts. This would still go on whilst allowing the family a certain amount of leeway to charge more still so they wouldn't go hungry.

 

[wayupnorth]

When I was REAL young, the grocer on the next street would keep a tab for us and everyone in the neighborhood. My mother would call him in the morning and someone would deliver the order right to our door. Once a month, my father would settle the tab and complain how prices had gone up. Some things change like calling and almost instant delivery and some things never change like the prices going up.

 

[cuffs054]

I do love this site! Haven't made these in years but I will this weekend with an oatmeal cake for dessert. The only thing my Mom did that I never could figure out was soaking the rice (always in the same bowl). She never par-boiled it, but I can't get it right without the par-boil.
WayupNorth, not only was my first job delivering groceries on credit in a 67 Ford wagon, but we had milk, meat, dry cleaning, soda water (in the coolest bottles), liquor (yep), drugstore items and even stuff for the pool delivered. The milk man would just put stuff in the garage refrig and send a bill. Damn, those were the days!

 

[wayupnorth]

You're right cuffs, those were the days. By the time we got our brand new 67 Ford wagon, the only thing you could get home delivered around here was from a drug store. Although some would still use a taxi to have liquor delivered for a price. Groceries and milk delivery was no longer available by the early 60's. We got our first shopping center, McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts then and it went from there. Since this area is the last outpost for the far north and Atlantic Canada, its turned into a big congested shopping mecca and thats why I left the city behind. As far as pools, few and far between here as there are so many lakes and the ocean that people go to in the warmer weather.