Cabbage Rolls

By NickiR

The absolute best. Even folks who don't like cabbage rolls like these.

These freeze really well so I make a big batch and freeze them in servings.

Ingredients

• 1 large cabbage
• 2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• Worcestershire sauce, to taste
• Louisiana hot sauce, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• 1 tsp. salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3 or 4 cans condensed tomato soup (no substitutions)
• 1 medium can tomato juice
• dried oregano

Preparation

Step 1

Fill a extra large pot 1/2 full of water and put on the stove to boil.

Place a large roasting pan on the counter in a convenient place.

Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and rinse them well. Line the bottom of the roasting pan with the leaves. Open a can of tomato soup and pour it over the cabbage leaves lining the pan. Set aside.

Cook the rice.

In a large skillet, cook the beef, breaking it up as you go. Drain and place into a large mixing bowl.

Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until translucent. Add to the bowl.

Now cook the chopped bacon until it starts to crisp. Drain and add to bowl.

When the water starts to boil, stick a large carving fork in the bottom core of the cabbage, and place it in the boiling water. The water should rise to cover the cabbage. When the outer layer of leaves become blanched and flexible, remove them and place the cabbage back in the water for new leaves to blanch. As the water boils, add more to keep the water just above the cabbage.

Put the blanched leaves in a colander to drain.

When the rice is cooked, add it to the bowl.

Add the can of tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Louisiana sauce, and the salt and pepper to the bowl. Mix well using your hands. The mixture should be moist, but with no excess liquid.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust the racks so the roasting pan will fit.

Making the cabbage rolls:

Place a cabbage leaf in your hand, back side up, and with a sharp paring knife, carefully trim the spine of the leaf without piercing it. Place the leaf on a cutting board so that it curves up toward you. Place 2 or 3 tablespoons of filling in the "pocket", and fold in the sides of the leaf as you roll it up.

Place the roll, seam side down, in the pan. Continue making rolls, adjusting the amount of filling as the size of the leaf decreases. When you have a full layer of rolls in the roasting pan, pour in a can of soup and smooth it over the leaves. Sprinkle on some Worcestershire sauce, Louisiana sauce and oregano.

Continue layering the rolls, with the soup, sauces and oregano on top of each layer.

When you have reached the end of "rollable" leaves, pour the tomato juice over the rolls and around the pan.

Bake at 350 for 2 to 3 hours.

If you have leftover cabbage and filling, you can chop the cabbage up, mix it with the filling and put it in a casserole dish and freeze it as another meal. When you want to eat it, cover the top with tomato soup, the sauces and the oregano.