# How do you cook your stuffed cabbage?



## larry_stewart (Sep 27, 2017)

I recently came across a few recipes , including one from my Polish assistant's mom , that cook their stuffed cabbage in the oven.

I've always cooked mine in a pot on the stovetop .

Just curious who does what , and what they feel the benefits are ?   or is it just recipe specific, and no benefit one way or the other.

Just curious, 

Larry


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## Andy M. (Sep 27, 2017)

When my mom and now my sister make the Armenian version of the dish, stuffed with ground meat and rice among other things, they would cook them in a stockpot with added broth/water.

When SO makes golobkis, she bakes them covered with tomato soup and foil.


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## GotGarlic (Sep 27, 2017)

I've only made them once, for my Polish FIL. I used a recipe similar to what his mother made - stuff the cabbage, line a baking dish with tomato sauce, add the cabbage, cover with more tomato sauce and bake.

If you're using tomato sauce, it's less likely to scorch in the oven than on the stovetop. If you're using water or broth, as Andy described, the stovetop is fine.


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## CarolPa (Sep 27, 2017)

My Slovak MIL always cooked them in a big stock pot in tomato juice.  I learned from someone else.  I cook mine in either a big roast pan in the oven, or if it's summer and I don't want to heat up the house, I put them in an electric roaster out on the deck, so the whole neighborhood can smell them cooking.  Either way, the are covered with canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and drained sauerkraut.

I can't really say there's a benefit to doing it my way.  It's just the way I was taught to do it.


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## Aunt Bea (Sep 27, 2017)

I make a meatloaf mixture and add raw rice to it, then I make the rolls using cabbage leaves that have simmered in boiling water for a minute or two.  I put the tough outer leaves of the cabbage in the bottom of an old magnalite roaster with a tight fitting lid, add the cabbage rolls, pour enough V-8 or tomato juice into the pan to come up just to where I can begin to see it and put them into a 350 degree oven to cook for about 1 1/2 hours.  The raw rice absorbs the tomato juice and it thickens into a light sauce.  They are always best the second or third day.


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## Just Cooking (Sep 27, 2017)

Aunt Bea said:


> I make a meatloaf mixture and add raw rice to it, then I make the rolls using cabbage leaves that have simmered in boiling water for a minute or two.  I put the tough outer leaves of the cabbage in the bottom of an old magnalite roaster with a tight fitting lid, add the cabbage rolls, pour enough V-8 or tomato juice into the pan to come up just to where I can begin to see it and put them into a 350 degree oven to cook for about 1 1/2 hours.  The raw rice absorbs the tomato juice and it thickens into a light sauce.  They are always best the second or third day.




That seems to be almost exactly the way my first wife made them.. Hadn't thought of that in 20 years... Nice memory..  

Ross


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## CharlieD (Sep 27, 2017)

If In  have a large, scratch that, extra large tray, I do it in the oven too.


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## Steve Kroll (Sep 27, 2017)

I bake mine, too.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Sep 28, 2017)

I roll up my little bundles, line the bottom of my
dutch oven with the leftover bits of cabbage that I've
chopped, along with some augmented tomato sauce, 
lay in the bundles and cover it all in more sauce, cover and bake
until done.

Don't know why I do this, growing up, I never had this dish nor did
my husband, but that's how I do it in my kitchen.


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## cjmmytunes (Sep 28, 2017)

I always bake mine - it's the only way I remember having them.  Haven't had any in ages, think I might fix some one day next week.


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## medtran49 (Sep 28, 2017)

Mostly in the oven, but I have done them on the stovetop.


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## letscook (Sep 28, 2017)

Bake mine single layer in baking dish ( like a lasagna pan ) with cabbage leaves on the bottom and top of them topped with bacon slices and tomato sauce


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## CubsGal (Sep 28, 2017)

I'm from a Polish family; I've only ever seen them baked in the oven. And now I want to make some.


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## larry_stewart (Sep 28, 2017)

Looks like Im gonna try baking them next time.


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## Cooking Goddess (Sep 29, 2017)

The Polish side of my family baked in tomato sauce; the Hungarian in-law baked with tomato juice. Himself's side of the family is Slovak. I don't remember them ever making a small portion, so the only time I've seen them they were by the dozens and dozens in a huge electric roasting pan a la Nesco - with tomato juice.

With all of this talk about cabbage rolls (Gołąbki), I now have two large head of cabbage in the refrigerator. Just waiting on my new Staub braiser : so that I can christen it the right way


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## larry_stewart (Sep 29, 2017)

Whats a common 'Bake Time and Temp" if made in the oven? 

I see a 350 for 1 1/2 hours mentioned earlier.  What  times and temps do you guys use?  Reason Im asking is Im converting a stove top into a oven baked, so I don't have a time to go by.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Sep 29, 2017)

Hmmm, curious, I went looking in my "recipe binder" for my stuffed cabbage, 
gone!
And of course I don't remember how I made it previously, 
so I'm going to keep very close tabs on this thread,
that's for sure.


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## Cheryl J (Sep 29, 2017)

Same here, kgirl...I'll be keeping an eye on this.  I haven't made stuffed cabbage in several (ok, many...probably 10) years, but it sure is sounding good for a nice change in meal rotation this fall.


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## Cheryl J (Sep 29, 2017)

Aunt Bea said:


> I make a meatloaf mixture and add raw rice to it, then I make the rolls using cabbage leaves that have simmered in boiling water for a minute or two. I put the tough outer leaves of the cabbage in the bottom of an old magnalite roaster with a tight fitting lid, add the cabbage rolls, pour enough V-8 or tomato juice into the pan to come up just to where I can begin to see it and put them into a 350 degree oven to cook for about 1 1/2 hours. The raw rice absorbs the tomato juice and it thickens into a light sauce. They are always best the second or third day.


 
This is the way I remember making them too...it was the way my mom made them and I just kind of followed her way. Thank you Aunt Bea, for the memories.  Will surely make this again once the weather cools off a little more.


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## Steve Kroll (Sep 30, 2017)

larry_stewart said:


> Whats a common 'Bake Time and Temp" if made in the oven?
> 
> I see a 350 for 1 1/2 hours mentioned earlier.  What  times and temps do you guys use?  Reason Im asking is Im converting a stove top into a oven baked, so I don't have a time to go by.



My recipe (well, actually my aunt Josephine's recipe) has them in the oven at 325 F for two hours, so 350 for an hour and a half should accomplish the same thing.


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## CakePoet (Sep 30, 2017)

I always bake mine, in Sweden it is called  Kåldommar and doesnt have tomato in them


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## Just Cooking (Sep 30, 2017)

CakePoet said:


> I always bake mine, in Sweden it is called  Kåldommar and doesnt have tomato in them


Will you share a recipe?.. I'd like to try them without tomato..  

Ross


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## CakePoet (Sep 30, 2017)

When I get back the cookbook I will, my neighbor has borrowed it.


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## Just Cooking (Sep 30, 2017)

CakePoet said:


> When I get back the cookbook I will, my neighbor has borrowed it.


Thank you... 

Ross


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## di reston (Sep 30, 2017)

This is one of my favourite winter dishes. I use ground pork, rice, caraway seed, onion, garlic, and a few other ingredients I can't quite remember just now. I parboil the crinkly cabbage leaves, then put the stuffing in and roll them up, then put them in the baking dish together with tomatoes over the top and other spices and sour cream, and then bake them until ready. I use the rest of the cabbage cut into ribbons and added to the dish. Sometimes I add a little white wine but not always. This is the recipe I was given by a Hungarian friend when I was at University, so it was a long time ago!

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast   Oscar Wilde


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## letscook (Oct 3, 2017)

My dad use to make his own sauerkraut and always went to buy cabbage at a local farm, The cabbages were huge and solid, One year he brought me one and thought I would make Pigs in blanket/stuff cabbage/, so getting the water boiling to put the cabbage in and getting the filling ready, I heard a weird noise, looked around and " Oh Crap" the cabbage split and not so I could salvage to make them. Great I promised to bring  in fact enough to feed about 50 people. Ok so now what. Then it came to me Polish lasagna !  I softened the leaves in the boiling water and removed as if I was going to make the pigs. then just layer cabbage, filling, cabbage filling and so on. then topped it like I normally would, bacon sliced and tomato sauce baked it till cooked thoroughly and little brown on top. To my surprise it was a huge hit. I labeled it Polish lasagna, And only my dad said What happened to the pigs. I said the cabbage split and tried to run!  He laughed.


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## CakePoet (Oct 3, 2017)

The cabbage recipe will posted recipe because I am way to tired to use my brain so I am going away to rest.


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## larry_stewart (Oct 4, 2017)

letscook said:


> My dad use to make his own sauerkraut and always went to buy cabbage at a local farm, The cabbages were huge and solid, One year he brought me one and thought I would make Pigs in blanket/stuff cabbage/, so getting the water boiling to put the cabbage in and getting the filling ready, I heard a weird noise, looked around and " Oh Crap" the cabbage split and not so I could salvage to make them. Great I promised to bring  in fact enough to feed about 50 people. Ok so now what. Then it came to me Polish lasagna !  I softened the leaves in the boiling water and removed as if I was going to make the pigs. then just layer cabbage, filling, cabbage filling and so on. then topped it like I normally would, bacon sliced and tomato sauce baked it till cooked thoroughly and little brown on top. To my surprise it was a huge hit. I labeled it Polish lasagna, And only my dad said What happened to the pigs. I said the cabbage split and tried to run!  He laughed.



Great story, and great recovery!!

Im always nervous when I make them as to how many 'good' leaves I will get out of the cabbage.  When Im at the store, the produce workers must laugh at me, as I carefully inspect the cabbages for no defects or even microscopic evidence of splitting.  Now, i usually buy 2 cabbages, since the outer leaves are usually are the easiest and least likely ( at least in my case) to become unusable.  With the left over cabbage, I make sauerkraut.


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## Aunt Bea (Oct 4, 2017)

larry_stewart said:


> Great story, and great recovery!!
> 
> Im always nervous when I make them as to how many 'good' leaves I will get out of the cabbage.  When Im at the store, the produce workers must laugh at me, as I carefully inspect the cabbages for no defects or even microscopic evidence of splitting.  Now, i usually buy 2 cabbages, since the outer leaves are usually are the easiest and least likely ( at least in my case) to become unusable.  With the left over cabbage, I make sauerkraut.



Don't be overly concerned about perfect leaves, the process of making cabbage rolls is very forgiving.  If you have some split or torn leaves then use two and overlap them to cover the hole or cut a leaf in two to make a patch.


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## RPCookin (Oct 4, 2017)

CakePoet said:


> I always bake mine, in Sweden it is called  Kåldommar and doesnt have tomato in them



I'm interested in this one.  It seems like almost every recipe for stuffed anything has to have tomatoes or tomato sauce or whatever.  I like tomatoes just fine, but I like having options too.


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## Just Cooking (Oct 5, 2017)

+1... I agree with having options.. There are times that I'd like to get away from the tomatoes in certain dishes...

Ross


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## Mad Cook (Oct 5, 2017)

I use the "cheats" version in Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book. She got it from her French neighbour. the cabbage & filling is layered in the pan rather than actually stuffed into the cabbage. A lot less fuss and palaver.


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## CarolPa (Oct 5, 2017)

I googled Kaldommar and found very many recipes for this, but I will wait to see Cake Poet's recipe.  There were several slight variations.  Looks good.  

The cabbage roll casserole is popular here in SW PA.  There are many different names for it.  Cabbage Roll Casserole, Inside Out Stuffed Cabbage,  Lazy Man's Stuffed Cabbage.  I make it sometimes when I only want enough for DH and I for dinner.


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