Most “stuffed” recipes can, admittedly, be a bit time-consuming. From dumplings to ravioli to…well…cabbage rolls, stuffing things takes a bit of extra time and effort. This recipe is no exception. BUT, like it and so many other stuffed recipes, it is well, well, worth it. Behold….classic sweet and sour stuffed cabbage rolls.

My paternal grandma used to make stuffed cabbage rolls and it’s taken me quite a while to nail down the same amazing rolls. The secret to these is the tomato sauce, which is made with brown sugar and white vinegar, which gives them a sweet and sour appeal. I’ve seen them called German-style cabbage rolls, although there’s a whole other German-style cabbage roll made with brown gravy. Whatever their origin, I’m just glad that I finally figured these out. I like to make them in a big batch, which can easily be reheated for leftovers because honestly, aren’t these kinds of food always even better the second day?

Sweet and Sour German Style Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

This recipe makes about 2 dozen rolls

Cabbage

• 1 medium head of cabbage, whole but with the base core carefully removed. I use a sharp knife to cut carefully around the core at an angle (angling in) to remove it. You can always remove more of the interior core once it’s steamed and cooled.

I like to get the cabbage done first so it has plenty of time to cool and be easy to handle. Fill a large stockpot with about 2-3 inches of water. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Add cabbage, cored-side down, and cover. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the whole cabbage to a colander to drain and cool.

Carefully peel off each cabbage leaf, keeping them as intact as possible. Some of them may tear just a bit, but that’s okay – they will all come together when you roll them. You may need to slice each leaf at the thick rib near the core to remove them. Remove at least 14-16 leaves and then chop up the rest of the cabbage, which you’ll add to the stuffing.

Rice

• 2 cups beef stock
• 1   cup rice

In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Add rice, stir well, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes and remove from heat. Let stand, covered, while you prepare everything else.

Tomato Sauce

• 3 cups pureed tomatoes, with their juice (canned or fresh). If you only have whole peeled tomatoes, just smash them up really well with your hands before heating and be sure to use all the juice.
• 1 14 oz. can tomato sauce
• 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup – packed) brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a good simmer, uncovered,  and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside while you prepare the stuffing.

Stuffing

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb.lean ground beef
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• Remaining chopped cabbage

Over medium heat, melt butter in a large skillet or stockpot. Add onion and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Increase heat to medium-high and add pork and beef. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring just a couple of times until just cooked through, and remove from heat. Add beaten eggs, remaining chopped cabbage. and rice and mix well.  Set aside while you prepare the cabbage leaves.

In two 13 x 9 baking dishes, drop a tablespoon or so of tomato sauce in the bottom of each dish and swirl it around.

Preparing the cabbage rolls

Take a cabbage leaf and fill with a couple of healthy tablespoons of stuffing mix. Fold in edges and roll as tightly as possible without tearing the leaves. Place prepared roll, seam-side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining leaves and stuffing.

Cover baking dishes with lids or foil and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for an hour. Remove covers and bake for 10 more minutes.

Voila! Yes, these are a bit of work but they’re seriously worth it.

I like to make mine with a combination of beef and pork for 2 reasons – one is that I like the mix of flavors and two that it makes this dish a little lighter and healthier. If you prefer beef over pork or vice versa, feel free to add what you prefer.

I’m not a fan of all the added sugar that pervades our food these days but it’s definitely key, along with the vinegar, in this recipe. The sweet and sour aspect of the sauce is what makes these flavorful and unique.

I hope if you catch any missed steps or not-clear points, you’ll let me know. These aren’t nearly as complicated as they sound, really just time-consuming.

Oh, and if you like stuffing things, here’s my steamed dumpling recipe, here’s my homemade classic ravioli recipe, and here’s my mushroom ravioli recipe.

Never, ever be afraid to play with your food! Enjoy!