Sweet and Sour Stuffed Cabbage
Submitted by Helene Firetag Kligman
1 large head of cabbage
1 lb. of ground round or chuck
2 eggs
½ cup of instant rice
1 6-8 oz. jar of grape jelly
1-2 jars of chili sauce
A handful of Golden raisins
Salt and pepper
Large Dutch oven or Stew Pot with a Top
Prepare the Cabbage
Take the head of the cabbage and cut out the stem and put in a pot and cover the cabbage with water. Bring the water to boil turn off and let cabbage sit for 10-15 minutes. Drain the cabbage and peel off the cabbage leaves. They should be soft, wilted and easy to manage. Let sit on a paper towel until meat mixture is ready.
Prepare the Meat mixture
Make the instant rice. And put in a bowl with the two eggs and the ground beef. Add salt and pepper. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands. Make golf ball size meatballs with all of the mixture. Put the Dutch oven on the stove and pour a little bit of chili sauce to cover the bottom of the pot.
Prepare the Stuffed Cabbage
Take the cabbage leaf and place the meatball at the thickest part of the cabbage leaf and roll the cabbage leaf around the meatball, taking the thinnest part of the leaf and tucking it under the whole ball. It should be a nice wrapped meatball. Take two of the smaller leafs and make it into a makeshift roll, which will stay together while cooking. When you finish a meatball wrapped in cabbage, place it fold down in the bottom of the pot. Stack each stuffed cabbage until you finish the meatballs and cabbage. It should work out nicely.
Prepare the Sauce and Stuffed Cabbage
Pour the rest of the chili sauce over all the stacked stuffed cabbages. Pour the Grape Jelly over the Stuffed Cabbage. Sprinkle the handful of golden raisins on top. Cover and cook on low for about 2 hours. The sauce will cover all the stuffed cabbage. It’s best to make this at least 48 to 24 hours before serving and refrigerate. You can also freeze and reheat.
To Serve
Use a large spoon and put stuffed cabbage in a shallow bowl or deep platter. Serve the stuffed cabbage with plenty of sauce and the raisins on top.