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Unstuffing the Cabbage Roll

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BandCollector

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During Pittsburgh's industrial heyday, many small ethnic communities sprung up around the steel mills . Western Pennsylvania attracted many immigrants from Eastern Europe who brought with them their wonderful cultural cuisine. One of these delicious recipes were Halupkis, which are stuffed cabbage rolls. These wonderful rolls can be time consuming to prepare but are always worth the effort. However, for those with time constraints, this can be an easy alternative.

Unstuffed Cabbage

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
3 medium onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small cabbage, chopped
3 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 can (14.5 ounces) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper (more to taste)
1 teaspoon sea salt (more to taste)

IMG_1831.JPG


Preparation:

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the ground beef and onions, stirring until the ground beef is no longer pink and the onions are tender.*
Add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute.

Add the chopped cabbage, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and salt & pepper.
Bring the mixture to a boil and stir regularly.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender.

Easy Peasy!

*After frying the meat and onions the whole recipe can be completed in a slow cooker if desired.

Meat and onions frying away:
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Cabbage, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and salt & pepper added:
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After 30 minutes of simmering:
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Cabbage will give off additional water when cooked. If you feel the mixture is too watery you can continue simmering with the lid off until you are satisfied with the texture.

Enjoying the fruits of your labor.
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This recipe should yield 6 to 8 servings.

Enjoy,

John
 
Last edited:
Love stuffed cabbage. Mom used to make it. I have made it a few times myself. This looks really good I think I am going to have to try this.
 
Love stuffed cabbage. Mom used to make it. I have made it a few times myself. This looks really good I think I am going to have to try this.
Thanks,
If you look in my links under Ethnic, I have a step by step for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls which I really think you will enjoy.

John
 
That looks phenomenal John, I definitely need to try this! Thanks for posting the recipe and tutorial! 🍻
 
Looks fantastic John, I love that stuff.
 
My Granny used to make the best cabbage rolls and I may have to snag this unstuffed idea. Lol although I think she had a pound of butter in there and did a 50/50 mix of beef and pork.

This seems way easier tho!

Although I'm wondering if I could smoke the ground meat first 🤔
 
Looks great. I do something similar and it's a fav here
 
Looks great John , and love cabbage rolls, but must admit I normally just eat the innards. I like cabbage just not a lot and love it raw also.
I can see this being made here. As Mona and her mom Love a good cabbage roll.
Thanks for the how to.

David
 
Hell yeah, that looks good.

Your recipe is almost the same as what we make for cabbage soup.
Only differences are we add Italian parsley and Basil.
Yep, When the cabbage cooks down the mixture can become a soup consistency. Just take the cover off and continue simmering until the mixture thickens.

Either way. . .Pretty good stuff,

John
 
Opps, forgot @mr_whipple and @Redicans . . .Thanks guys!
No worries! I'm going to try it this weekend as it's supposed to rain. Probably scale it down to half. I could eat my weight in stuffed cabbage. As with everyone, my mom made killer stuffed cabbage.
 
That looks fantastic !
Thanks Chop. . .Coming from you really means something!

Man that is a soul warming bowl of goodness right there.

Jim
Thanks Jim. . .That is why I call my cabbage rolls Comfort Food For the Soul.

Take care my friends,

John
 
Mighty tasty looking John.

Point for sure
Chris
 
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