Stuffed Cabbage Rolls - Romanian Sarmale
From elgab89 16 years ago
- 180 minutes to make
- Serves 8
This is my grandmother recipe that we use in our family for each Christmas (traditional in Romania) and whenever we need some comfort food. We actually serve it with polenta and we top each plate with 2 generous spoons of sour cream. Read more This can be cooked also with sauerkraut ( in Romanian stores you can get whole cabbages pickled in brine and if you find it just reduce the amount of tomato paste to 1/4). See less
Ingredients
- 500gr ground beef shopping list
- 500gr ground pork ( do not use the lean kind - it will enhance the flavour if you use the regular one) shopping list
- 1 spoon tomato paste shopping list
- salt and pepper shopping list
- 2 spoons rice uncooked shopping list
- 1 large or 2 small cabbage heads shopping list
- 1 large onion shopping list
- 250g smoked bacon cut in small pieces shopping list
- 500 gr (1 can) wine sauerkraut shopping list
- 1 spoon whole peppers shopping list
- salt and pepper shopping list
- 3 tbsp tomato paste shopping list
- 1 laurel leaf shopping list
- 1 small smoked pork hock - just for taste shopping list
- water shopping list
How to make it
- Filling: Mix the ground beef, ground pork, tomato paste, salt and pepper (after taste - if you use the cabbage pickled in bryne, remember that it can be quite salty!) and rice. Set it on the side at room temperature while you prepare the leaves of the cabbage.
- If you use the pickled cabbage, taste it and if it is too salty wash it gently without breaking the leaves. If you use fresh cabbage, you have to add it whole in salted boilling water for 5 -10 minutes ( depending how thick the leaves are - as a general rule I try to choose the thinest leaves possible). Once boiled take each leaf carefully and wrap about 1 - 2spoons of meat. The size of the rolls are really personal preferrence, in Southern Romania they are usually really small and going North towards Moldavia they get really big in size. I personally prefer it in the middle, so you can have a good bite of cabbage with the meat.
- Separately, in a pan fry the bacon together with the onion until translucent ( about 2-3min) and add the sauerkraut, salt (again taste the sauerkraut and see how salty it is), pepper, whole pepper and the tomato paste- cook another 3 minutes. Set it aside.
- In a deep crock/pan spread evenly at the bottom about 1/3 from the sauerkraut mix. On top of it add one layer of rolls. Add another layer of sauerkraut and another layer of rolls. Finish with a layer of sauerkraut. On top add the small pork hock and the laurel and add water in order to barely cover the rolls.
- Boil on stove top at med- slow heat approx. 2 hours - 2 1/2 hours. We usually take out one roll after 2 hours and try to see if it is cooked thoroughly. Once cooked, take out the laurel and the pork hock and discard.
- Bake at 375F for another 30 minutes untill you see a nice crust formed on top of it.
- You can actually freeze it. In the freezer keeps very well for at least 1 month.
- Enjoy!
The Rating
Reviewed by 11 people-
Oh wow, a very nice change on the traditional stuffed pepper, which we love in my house. Will surprise the group with this delight next time they ask for stuffed peppers. Thanks for a wonderful post. You have my 5.
chefmeow
in Garland loved it
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This sounds awesome. I love stuffed anything...;-)~
jimrug1
in Peoria loved it
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I love all the layers of flavors going on here. Another keeper - moving to my short list. Thanks so much! :)
lunasea
in Orlando loved it
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