Smoked Cabbage Rolls

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smokinhusker

Legendary Pitmaster
Original poster
I've really got to quit letting him watch food channels!!!

He saw the episode of Triple D with the Cabbage Rolls and decided "we" needed to make them, but smoke them!

I've never made these before, but I've eaten loads of them! No prep shots cause I was concentrating on getting these right!

I pretty much winged the recipe from watching the Triple D video for the measurements of the ingredients.

Cabbage Rolls (I made 8 rolls)

1 Head of Cabbage

1 lb ground beef 80/20

1 lb ground pork or you can use sausage (which I will next time)

roughly 1 cup cooked white rice

2 eggs

2 Tbsp Hungarian Sweet Paprika

1 Tbsp Dry Ground Mustard

2 Tbsp Cracked Black Pepper

Sea Salt to taste

2 Tbsp Lemon Pepper

Mix all ingredients well. 

Topping

1 can (14.5 oz) Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes

1 stick of butter

Tomato Gravy 

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 finely minced onion

1 (28 oz) can crushed Tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Sea salt and Cracked Black Pepper to taste

I used Cornstarch but you can use Flour

Melt butter in pot, add onions and cook until translucent. If using flour add it and cook to make a roux - add tomatoes and chicken stock and simmer to thicken. I used Cornstarch and added it to the chicken broth and stirred this into the butter and onion mixture, then added the tomatoes and let it simmer to thicken. Add heavy whipping cream and seasonings. Simmer about 5 minutes. Serve over cabbage rolls.

Making the rolls

I cored the head of cabbage and then peeled the leaves from the cabbage head and dropped a couple at a time into boiling water with some sea salt and white vinegar.

Left them in there just long enough to soften them, then out and onto a towel to drain.

I eyeballed the size of the leaf and made a "football" shape of the meat mixture, and rolled it up in the leaves.

I laid the outer most leaves of the head in the bottom of an aluminum foil pan, placed the rolls on top, spread the diced tomatoes over the top of the rolls and dotted with butter. 

Topped with the outer leaves from the head of cabbage and covered with foil. Into a 300° smoker (with the brisket point). I left them covered for an hour and then uncovered them to get some smoke. 

Out of the smoker


Cut in half (tomato gravy on top)


Overall they were good, but we both felt they needed more smoke, so next time, no foil. They also needed more flavor that's why I'll use breakfast sausage and maybe even some bacon. Also thinking I might use some Zatarain's rice instead of plain white. 

I took the rest of the head of cabbage, nestled it in some aluminum foil. Then added 1 Tblsp Balsamic Vinegar, 3 Tbsp water, chopped onions, granulated garlic and granulated onion, cracked black pepper and sea salt to the center, then plopped 3 Tbsp butter on that. Draped some thick slice bacon over it and into the smoker with the brisket point and cabbage rolls.

It smoked about 1 1/2 hours with the foil open, then I sealed it up to make sure it was tender all the way through for another 1/2 hour in the 300° smoker.

Just before sealing the foil


It was definitely tender (fell apart when I tried to cut it into wedges) and took some good light smoke flavor. 


I'll definitely be making this again.

Thanks for looking!
 
Looks great Alesia!

How about smoking tomatoes to used instead of using canned? Zatarain's would be a good choice. We use quinoa seasoned with chile powder paprika for filling too.

A different twist, use red beans and rice, chop up some kielbasa and pre-smoked prawns for the filling. Then for the tomato gravy make it in the smoker like Chef JJ's Smokey Au Jus. Hmmm I better go to the store!
 
Alesia....looks yummers.  DS....we like the [color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]quinoa too.  The Zataran's dirty rice could work too.[/color]

[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]Yummy....looking at all this food today...STARVING!!!![/color]

[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]Kat[/color]
 
Thanks! You are exactly right about smoking the tomatoes. I love Red Beans and Rice and stuff and smoke Bell Peppers with it (also add homemade kielbasa and prawns). I had quinoa too but didn't think of using it, also saw a couple recipes that used pearled barley. 

Oh man JJ's Au Jus is to die for. 
Looks great Alesia!

How about smoking tomatoes to used instead of using canned? Zatarain's would be a good choice. We use quinoa seasoned with chile powder paprika for filling too.

A different twist, use red beans and rice, chop up some kielbasa and pre-smoked prawns for the filling. Then for the tomato gravy make it in the smoker like Chef JJ's Smokey Au Jus. Hmmm I better go to the store!
Thanks Kat. Yep the dirty rice would work too. 
Alesia....looks yummers.  DS....we like the [color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]quinoa too.  The Zataran's dirty rice could work too.[/color]

[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]Yummy....looking at all this food today...STARVING!!!![/color]

[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]Kat[/color]
 
looks great! love me some cabbage rolls..i was just telling my wife last night about wanting to make cabbage rolls...todays lunch in the cafeteria was cabbage rolls, i come back to the computer and see this thread about cabbage rolls....i think someone is trying to tell me something..i see the signs now. lol.
 
looks great! love me some cabbage rolls..i was just telling my wife last night about wanting to make cabbage rolls...todays lunch in the cafeteria was cabbage rolls, i come back to the computer and see this thread about cabbage rolls....i think someone is trying to tell me something..i see the signs now. lol.
Thanks and I'd take it as a sign for sure!
 
Man..(err.... My Lady) those sounds good. Always looking for some veggies dishes to smoke. never thought about some cabbage roles stuffed with some veggies (of course meat for the rest of us)... my best friend is a vegetarian.. so Im always on the look out for things I can smoke for her while the meat is in.. Thanks for the idea :):)

Mike
 
Man..(err.... My Lady) those sounds good. Always looking for some veggies dishes to smoke. never thought about some cabbage roles stuffed with some veggies (of course meat for the rest of us)... my best friend is a vegetarian.. so Im always on the look out for things I can smoke for her while the meat is in.. Thanks for the idea :):)

Mike
Thank you! Oh yes you could stuff them with veggies and grains (quinoa, barley, rice) and they would be great. Leave the bacon off and maybe rub with some olive oil and smoke the whole cabbage head.
 
Man..(err.... My Lady) those sounds good. Always looking for some veggies dishes to smoke. never thought about some cabbage roles stuffed with some veggies (of course meat for the rest of us)... my best friend is a vegetarian.. so Im always on the look out for things I can smoke for her while the meat is in.. Thanks for the idea :):)

Mike
Thank you! Oh yes you could stuff them with veggies and grains (quinoa, barley, rice) and they would be great. Leave the bacon off and maybe rub with some olive oil and smoke the whole cabbage head.
oh.. wow.. I just recently started messing with some simple quinoa dishes... and they seem to absorb flavor well... bet they would take some smoke in nicely... and also act as the main filling for some veggie roles... *light bulbs flashing in my brain... * greatness... and, yet another great idea... whole head of cabbage.. lightly braised... then smoked... man I need more time for smoking :):) thanks again My Lady O Smoke :)

MIKE
 
Nice Job, Alesia!!!  They look Great !!

I had three different friends who had Mothers who made those---one Hungarian, one Polish, & one Ukrainian. The last one passed away at 96 yrs about 4 months ago. We call them Halupkis.

However My Son's Wife saw how much I liked them, and learned how to make them for me. It took a bunch of batches, but she got them perfect.

I never had any smoked---I'll have to talk to my Son about that !!! He has a Big Green Egg down there!!!

Bear
 
Haven't made cabbage rolls in some time. Your's look great and i will use your recipe and some of the ideas of others here also. Venison sausage and red beans and cajun rice sound good as a filler as well. Thanks for the recipe and pics. Reinhard
 
The Zataran's dirty rice could work too.

Kat
Oh My! You can make dirty rice nearly as fast as the box. You can even adjust dirty rice to get most of the fat and grease out if on one of those <shiver> diet thingies. Dirty rice is like BBQ beans to a coonass. OH WOW, I bet pulled pork would rock in a dirty rice stuffed cabbage roll. INSPIRATION!

Have you tried the Louisiana gourmet rice? It costs a bit more but it does have an extra nutty flavor. You wouldn't use it every day but I bet it would be outstanding in the cabbage rolls.

Cabbage rolls..... Sounds great but wrong season for them here. We get cabbage here about November/December, I am taking notes though, will be a happy happy winter feast!

(LOL... I am thinking of removing that fat and your sauce has 1 &1/2 sticks of butter and heavy cream....... Alesia you are a cooking godess!)
 
Last edited:
Thanks RN!
looks like the one's my dad used to make..looks great!!
Mike, there's a great looking dish on here someone posted a while back - Quinoa Salad I believe. I haven't tried it yet but it sure looks good.

Found it http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/106848/killer-quinoa-salad

I didn't braise the head of cabbage first - I did it all in the smoker. Several here have done it - just search smoked cabbage.
Man..(err.... My Lady) those sounds good. Always looking for some veggies dishes to smoke. never thought about some cabbage roles stuffed with some veggies (of course meat for the rest of us)... my best friend is a vegetarian.. so Im always on the look out for things I can smoke for her while the meat is in.. Thanks for the idea :):)

Mike
Thank you! Oh yes you could stuff them with veggies and grains (quinoa, barley, rice) and they would be great. Leave the bacon off and maybe rub with some olive oil and smoke the whole cabbage head.
oh.. wow.. I just recently started messing with some simple quinoa dishes... and they seem to absorb flavor well... bet they would take some smoke in nicely... and also act as the main filling for some veggie roles... *light bulbs flashing in my brain... * greatness... and, yet another great idea... whole head of cabbage.. lightly braised... then smoked... man I need more time for smoking :):) thanks again My Lady O Smoke :)

MIKE
Thanks John! I always had the German ones (Kohlroulauden) having a German aunt. Not sure which ones my grandma made, but they were good!

I put a couple in a small pan last night with some tomato gravy and put them in the smoker with some ribs. They took a bit more smoke than the first time but they were awesome! Have him smoke a couple for you.
Nice Job, Alesia!!!  They look Great !!

I had three different friends who had Mothers who made those---one Hungarian, one Polish, & one Ukrainian. The last one passed away at 96 yrs about 4 months ago. We call them Halupkis.

However My Son's Wife saw how much I liked them, and learned how to make them for me. It took a bunch of batches, but she got them perfect.

I never had any smoked---I'll have to talk to my Son about that !!! He has a Big Green Egg down there!!!

Bear
Thanks Reinhard. Yep I think they would be great with venison sausage, red beans and cajun rice. That would be good in bell peppers too.
Haven't made cabbage rolls in some time. Your's look great and i will use your recipe and some of the ideas of others here also. Venison sausage and red beans and cajun rice sound good as a filler as well. Thanks for the recipe and pics. Reinhard
Well Foamheart, now you've got the wheels spinning. No diet thingy here, oh yea Rock loves his butta! You could always cut the butter back and I'm sure it wouldn't hurt it a bit - substitute olive oil in the tomato gravy.  Thank you!
The Zataran's dirty rice could work too.

Kat
Oh My! You can make dirty rice nearly as fast as the box. You can even adjust dirty rice to get most of the fat and grease out if on one of those <shiver> diet thingies. Dirty rice is like BBQ beans to a coonass. OH WOW, I bet pulled pork would rock in a dirty rice stuffed cabbage roll. INSPIRATION!

Have you tried the Louisiana gourmet rice? It costs a bit more but it does have an extra nutty flavor. You wouldn't use it every day but I bet it would be outstanding in the cabbage rolls.

Cabbage rolls..... Sounds great but wrong season for them here. We get cabbage here about November/December, I am taking notes though, will be a happy happy winter feast!

(LOL... I am thinking of removing that fat and your sauce has 1 &1/2 sticks of butter and heavy cream....... Alesia you are a cooking godess!)
 
Hmmm here's another thought on getting more smokey flavor into this dish. Use smoked butter and smoked tomatos in the tomato gravy!
 

Now those look good! 
drool.gif
   Lots of good ideas in this thread 
thumb1.gif
   Now I need to seek out some food...  
th_dunno-1%5B1%5D.gif
 
That would work too! You are a wealth of ideas and I thank you for them! I put a couple in a small aluminum pan last night, topped with tomato gravy and into the smoker for about an hour. Much better smoke flavor, so I'm sure I had them covered too long.
Hmmm here's another thought on getting more smokey flavor into this dish. Use smoked butter and smoked tomatos in the tomato gravy!
Thanks so much and yes lots of ideas for these!

Now those look good! 
drool.gif
   Lots of good ideas in this thread 
thumb1.gif
   Now I need to seek out some food...  
th_dunno-1%5B1%5D.gif
 
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