Polish Golabki

[GusRobin]

I decided to make some Polish stuffed cabbage rolls. Depending where you are from they are called golabki, golumkies, or golumpkis.

This is a recipe from my grandmother who was from the old country. I am sure it has been modified over the years. I'll list the ingredients as given to me and list what I have modified.

2 head of cabbage (about 6" diameter or larger) ---This varies based upon the type of cabbage in your area. I used 4 and should have used 6.
1 lb white rice
3/4 lb salt pork
3 lbs ground beef ( I use a combo of sausage and hamburger. Today I used a lb each of Jimmie Dean sage and hot sausage and a lb of ground beef)
1 medium white onion
1/4 lb of butter
1 Can (28 oz) of whole peeled tomatoes. ( I use a mixture of that and Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced tomatoes.)

The players (less the tomatoes)


Put the cabbage in a pot (or pots), cover with water. Bring water to a boil, cover the pot, turn off the heat. Leave the cabbage soaking for 3 hours at least. I do this part at night and leave it soaking overnight. The aim is to get the leaves soft.
Cabbage soaking:



Skin the salt pork and chop into tiny pieces. Save the skin.


Chop the onions into small pieces.


Fry the salt pork and onions in butter until brown.


Mix the meat, rice, onions, and salt pork. Add salt and pepper if you desire.


Peel off the cabbage leaves. You will probably have a number of them that will rip or not be suitable for stuffing. Set them aside for later use. Take a sharp knife and trim off the thick vein part of the cabbage leaf.


Get a roasting pan (preferably one with a cover but you can cover with foil). Take the cabbage leaves that you put aside before and line the bottom of the pan.

Take a leaf and put some meat into it. Put enough that you can still roll the leaf


Roll the leaf tight.



Put the rolls in the pan. Here is the pan lined with cabbage and some of the rolls put in.



Keep adding rolls until the layer is complete. If your pan is deep enough to add a second layer, cover the first layer with cabbage leaves and start laying another layer. When that is complete, cover with some more cabbage leaves. Take the tomatoes and squashed over the rolls and pour the sauce across the layers. Throw the salt pork skin on top.


Cover the pan. Put in a pre-heated oven at 350* for 45 minutes, then reduce the temp to 300* and cook for as long as you can. About 6 hours is good if you can do it.

Some notes- as you can see between the rolls and the covering, you use a lot of cabbage. I used 4 but didn't get a lot of good leaves for rolls. So I had a lot for covering the bottom and the layers. I ended up with a lot of extra meat because my pan is not that large. If I had enough good leaves I would have made another pan. Instead I took a glass casserole dish, covered the bottom with leaves, added the meat, covered with more leaves and added squashed tomatoes and juice. Cover tightly with foil. Kind of a golabki casserole. We'll see how that turns out.
I'll post the results when they are done.

.

[Keymaster]

That looks Awesome Gus, thanks for sharing the family recipe

[SouthernSmoked]

Oh, heck yeah! Looks pretty darn tasty!

[OU812]

I LOVE cabage rolls!!

[Tenpoint5]

Looks awesome Gus. Where do the Italian sausage links come into play? or did I miss something

[GusRobin]

Looks awesome Gus. Where do the Italian sausage links come into play? or did I miss something

Good catch -- I bought the sausage when I bought the other meat. I usually buy extra meat and decide which to use when I start making it. This time I didn't use the Italian sausage.

[JZ]

I LOVE cabage rolls!!

Oh ya me too. That reminds me I think we still have some in the freezer (lunch tomorrow). ;D

[Bear1968]

Ohhhh That is good Eats .... around these parts we call them "Hunky Hand Grenades"  :)
I never made them but I ATE PLENTY of them  ;)

*edit* Also called "Pigs in the Blanket"

[Silvergrizz]

Did that recipe ever bring back memories, been a long time since I have made any, but they are back on my "must do" list. Thanks

[Sailor]

Hey Gus,  your recipe calls for 1 lb of rice and you have 2 16oz bags there.  Did you only use 1 16oz bag or did you use 2?  I'm with Chris as I could not figure out the link sausage  ;D  I have this bookmarked and want to try it out.  Thanks for posting.

[GusRobin]

The rice was just extra I bought.  As far as the meat, it says 3lb GB. I use a combination of different sausages and GB to add a different flavor. Don't go by the picture, go by the text.

[Sailor]

The rice was just extra I bought.  As far as the meat, it says 3lb GB. I use a combination of different sausages and GB to add a different flavor. Don't go by the picture, go by the text.

OK......got it.  Just like when I buy something that needs to be assembled.  I just look at the pictures and never read the instructions.  I always have left over parts.   ;D  Guess I should read the instructions  ;)

[GusRobin]

The rice was just extra I bought.  As far as the meat, it says 3lb GB. I use a combination of different sausages and GB to add a different flavor. Don't go by the picture, go by the text.

OK......got it.  Just like when I buy something that needs to be assembled.  I just look at the pictures and never read the instructions.  I always have left over parts.   ;D  Guess I should read the instructions  ;)

I had left over ingredients ;D ;D ;D

[SiFumar]

Looks fantastic!  Have used ground pork but not sausage.  Will have to try it.  I core fresh cabbage, wrap in plastic wrap, and put bag in freezer.  When I want to make, I thaw cabbage out in colander and peel off leaves as needed...no need to boil, leaves are tender and I don't have a lot of split ones.

[GusRobin]

Looks fantastic!  Have used ground pork but not sausage.  Will have to try it.  I core fresh cabbage, wrap in plastic wrap, and put bag in freezer.  When I want to make, I thaw cabbage out in colander and peel off leaves as needed...no need to boil, leaves are tender and I don't have a lot of split ones.

I'll have to try that.