It’s been a long time since I’ve made a post. A lot has happened since April. My husband got a new job so we made the move from Michigan back to Southern West Virginia. Trying to find a house from 7 hours away was a challenge and with the spring 2022 housing market the way it was, it took much more time than we imagined.  We’ve taken the last six months to get settled and also added another family member to the mix. So, you can probably imagine that with a big move, working full time, having a toddler and then newborn, there wasn’t a ton of time for me to experiment with recipes.

But I’ve decided that 2023 is the year, I’m going to devote more time to doing the hobby that I love – cooking. It relaxes me and is a little getaway after a busy day.

I thought what better way to start the new year than with a the New Year tradition of cooking cabbage. Hey, who couldn’t use a little luck, right?

Growing up in West Virginia, every year, we had cabbage rolls on New Years Day. I’ve had many different variations of cabbage rolls over the years but my favorite will always be my dad’s recipe. The key to his recipe is in the broth made with sauerkraut and tomatoes. While you can certainly bake the cabbage rolls, for my recipe, you make it in a huge stock pot or Dutch oven, layering the cabbage rolls, sauerkraut, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Since the rolls simmer for a couple hours, some will fall apart, making it even better. 

Cabbage rolls are typically made with ground beef but we’ve made them with ground chicken and ground turkey as well, which honestly are just as delicious. It’s all about your personal preference. 

Now, if you’re looking for a quick recipe, this isn’t the one. What makes these so good is that they cook low and slow for a few hours, that way you’re getting a ton of different flavors in just one bite. 

When rolling your rolls, we usually keep them together with toothpicks. If this makes you nervous, you can certainly use cooking string. You’ll just want to use something to help keep them together. Since they’re being boiled, it’s easier for for them to fall apart. This recipe makes about 18 cabbage rolls.

I like to pair my cabbage rolls with mashed potatoes. I usually put my mashed potatoes in a bowl and then top it with a cabbage roll and sauerkraut sauce. You could even put the two one top of a slice of bread making for an interesting but delicious open faced sandwich. 

I hope you enjoy this Appalachian twist to cabbage rolls. Happy New Year! Here’s to a year of doing what you love! 

Ingredients 

2 lbs of ground beef (chicken or turkey)

1 large head of cabbage

1 32 ounce of whole tomatoes

2 32 ounces of sauerkraut

2 15 ounce tomato sauce

2 15 ounce diced tomatoes

1 cup ketchup

1 can tomato paste

1 1/2 cup of minute rice 

1 medium onion diced

1/4 tsp of ground pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1. Boil a head of cabbage until tender throughout.
2. While cabbage is boils, mix the hamburger, tomato paste, ketchup, minute rice and onions in a large bowl.
3. Separate cabbage leaves. It works best if you work from the bottom up. You’ll probably want to discard the first few leave on the top to get to the firm leaves, perfect for rolling.
4. Stuff the cabbage roll with filling and secure it with 2 tooth picks (if using more, make note so you can tell your guests) or secure with cooking string.
5. Pour the whole tomatoes and juice in the bottom of your pot and then top with a thin layer of sauerkraut and juice.
6. Place a layer of cabbage rolls on top of the tomato mixture and then top with tomato sauce. Then repeat the sauerkraut/diced tomato mixture and cabbage rolls until you get to the top of your pot. You will want to end with the tomato/sauerkraut mixture, leaving enough room so that when the pot boils, you don’t loose the juices.
7. Bring pot to a boil, cover and simmer for 2 hours, carefully stirring, periodically.
8. Once your cabbage rolls are done, pair it with your favorite vegetable or side dish. Don’t forget to top your roll with the tomato/sauerkraut sauce – it’s the best part!