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German stuffed cabbage rolls recipe

Authentic German Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

The perfect autumn or winter dish, our tasty German cabbage rolls are a sure crowd-pleaser. You can easily prepare the cabbage rolls in advance and serve them hot with boiled potatoes.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Dinner
Cuisine German
Servings 8 portions

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 head white cabbage large
  • 8 cups boiling water
  • 1 tbsp salt

The Meat Filling

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound pork mince
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 slice white bread teared into pieces
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tsp salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1 egg

For The Sauce/Gravy

  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • a little water to mix into a paste
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

General

  • vegetable oil for frying the cabbage rolls
  • chopped pieces from leftover cabbage

Instructions
 

Prep The Cabbage

  • Begin preparing the cabbage by trimming the tough part of the base.
    1 head white cabbage
  • Carefully remove the core using a sharp knife - a paring knife works well.
  • Put the cabbage into a large pot, fill it with hot water, add salt, and put the lid on. Simmer for around 5 to 10 minutes.
    8 cups boiling water, 1 tbsp salt
  • Carefully remove the cabbage head and place it on a plate. Allow it to cool until it is safe to handle.
  • Once it has cooled down, separate the cabbage leaves from the head and place them on a plate. I use two plates: one for the larger outer leaves and another for the smaller, inner leaves.
  • Chop any leftover cabbage into small pieces to use for the gravy later on.

The Meat Filling

  • Tear up the bread and place it into a bowl. Pour over the milk and let it soak for a few minutes.
    1 slice white bread, 1/4 cup milk
  • Now, add the remaining ingredients and blend them together with your hands until thoroughly combined.
    1 pound ground beef, 1 pound pork mince, 1 onion, 1 tsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tsp salt, freshly ground pepper, 1 egg
  • Using your hands, shape the meat into longish meatballs.

Make The Cabbage Rolls

  • Begin by wrapping a smaller leaf around a single meatball. Follow this by encasing it with one of the larger leaves for an additional layer.
    Take a piece of kitchen string and tie the cabbage roll, as if wrapping a small package.
  • Heat up some oil in a large frying pan and place the cabbage rolls in there. Fry until golden brown on all sides.
    Take the cabbage rolls out and add the cabbage pieces from the leftover cabbage.
    vegetable oil for frying the cabbage rolls
  • Sauté the cabbage pieces until they are golden brown. Now, you can place the cabbage rolls back into the frying pan.
    chopped pieces from leftover cabbage
  • Pour 1/2 cup of the water used to simmer the cabbage into the pan, cover with the lid, and allow the cabbage rolls to simmer for 30 minutes.
  • After the cooking time is up, remove the cabbage rolls from the pan and keep them warm.

Making The Gravy

  • Mix the tomato paste, cornflour, and water to a paste and add it to the frying pan.
    1 tsp tomato paste, 2 tsp cornflour, a little water to mix into a paste
  • Bring to a boil and add some water until you reach your prefered consistency.
  • Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
    salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Serve the cabbage rolls with a generous amount of gravy and boiled potatoes. Enjoy!

Video

Keyword cabbage rolls, German stuffed cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage rolls
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