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GERMAN CABBAGE ROLLS (KRAUTWICKEL)

Course Beef, Main dishes
Cuisine German

Ingredients

  • 20 large green cabbage leaves (1 or 2 Large cabbages) you will have leftover cabbage

Meat Filling Ingredients

  • 2 lb hamburger (may mix 50/50 with moose or pork)
  • 1 1/2 cups French bread crumbled, stale (with enough water to soak it)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Maggi Sauce
  • 1 1/4 white onion diced fine
  • 1 cup parsley dice fine
  • 1 tbs bacon grease (or avocado oil) as needed
  • 2 tbs peanut oil (or avocado oil) as needed

Gravy Ingredients

  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/4 cup Brown Gravy Mix
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tbs Dijon mustard

Instructions

MAKE THE MEAT FILLING

  • Saute chopped onion in bacon grease over medium heat until glossy and transparent,
  • Soak the bread in enough water to thoroughly wet it and make it soggy and waterlogged. Then squeeze out the excess water and set aside.
  • In a large bowl set the meat, Maggi sauce, eggs, cooked onion, and soaked bread crumbs.
  • Pour all the dry meat filling ingredients over the meat and mix by hand like a meatloaf.

TEST THE FLAVOR:

  • Pan fry a small bit of meat until done to test for flavor. If you need to adjust the seasonings do it now and mix again by hand.
  • Set a large pot on the stove 2/3 Full of water. Bring to boiling while shaping the meat rolls.
  • Shape into 3 x 2-inch sausage shapes. Set Aside. You should get about 18 to 20 meat rolls.

COOK CABBAGE LEAVES:

  • Set the cabbage into the boiling water and as the leaves soften and get tender.
  • GENTLY pull the leaves off with tongs one at a time as the cabbage cooks.
  • USE ONLY THE BIG LEAVES. (you may need two heads of cabbage to keep the leaf size large.)
  • Lay the leaves on a large paper towel to drain.
  • Soften the large tough vein of the leaves with a meat mallet so the leafs will roll.

FOLD THE CABBAGE ROLLS:

  • Lay the leaf out on a large flat surface like a table or cutting board.
  • Set a meat roll INTO THE CENTER of the leaf.
  • Fold the cabbage leaf up from the bottom to cover the meat roll.
  • Bring each side of the leaf up and over the meat.
  • Now roll the cabbage roll up to the top of the cabbage leaf.
  • Repeat for all leaves until the meat rolls are used.

TIE THE CABBAGE ROLLS

  • Using Kitchen Twine tie the rolls up and knot them on each end
  • This is all done with one continuous piece of twine as shown so the rolls can be evenly browned without falling apart. So make sure they are well secured.

BROWN THE CABBAGE ROLLS:

  • Set your frying pan on medium heat
  • Add 2 Tablespoons of Peanut oil (or your favorite high heat-safe oil).
  • Brown the cabbage rolls on ALL sides for best flavor.
  • Simmer the cabbage rolls 40 minutes with 4 cups of beef broth and 4 cups of water.

MAKE THE GRAVY:

  • Remove cabbage rolls to a serving platter or large casserole dish leave the broth in the pan.
  • Whisk together the dry ingredients and add water to make a loose paste.
  • Pour into the beef broth and whisk over medium-high heat until boiling.
  • Boil while whisking two minutes or until thick as you like.

SERVE:

  • Cut the strings and remove them from the cabbage rolls.
  • Pour 2 cups of the gravy over the cabbage rolls.
  • Pour the remaining gravy into a gravy server and serve on the side.

FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Brigitte freezes the rolls only without the gravy in a Tupperware container.
  • These rolls last well in the freezer for several weeks.
  • They are a quick and easy snack, dinner, or lunch. Just whip up a new batch of gravy if you are having them for dinner and want gravy on the side.
  • Just thaw and microwave to reheat.

Notes

GERMAN CABBAGE ROLLS
This German cabbage roll recipe is full of meaty flavor and includes its own gravy. This delicious dinner is very versatile and freezer friendly. Perfect home cooking. https://www.homemadefoodjunkie.com/german-cabbage-rolls/