Grandmas Golabki! – a delicious recipe with Cabbage, Rice, Yellow Onion, Ground Beef/sirloin, Ground Pork, Egg. Easy to follow and perfect for any occasion.
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First, prepare a cup of uncooked long grain white rice according to package directions.
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Then fill a pot (one that is large enough to submerge your head of cabbage) with water (salt water if desired) and allow water to come to an active boil.
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Meanwhile, prep the cabbage by removing as much of the core as you can (safely!).
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The purpose is to make the peeling of the leaves easier later.
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I usually cut in with a very sharp knife in a hexagon pattern and dig out at least the protruding portion of the core, if not just a bit deeper.
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While youre waiting for your water to boil (inevitably, it will seem like forever til you sit down to do something else), mince your whole onion.
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Some people prefer larger chunks but I prefer it to blend more with the meat.
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When the water boils, carefully lower the cabbage into the water and allow it to soften.
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If you have lost any leaves, also throw them into the water.
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It will more than likely take about 20 minutes for the outer leaves to soften enough to start removing.
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While waiting on the cabbage to soften, prepare the meat mixture, much like you would with a meatloaf.
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Take the pork and beef and mix them evenly together.
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Add the onions, and season the meat with some salt and pepper (some people use paprika as well as other spices, but we prefer simple) and then add the rice.
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Crack an egg into the meat mixture and again to fully incorporate it.
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Check on your cabbage.
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Find the loose edge of a leaf and *gently* tug it.
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The leaf is done if it can be peeled back with a fork with almost no resistance whatsoever.
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Peel leaves in installments.
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The first leaves will be bigger but also more delicate, so be careful!
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Set leaves aside in a dish or bowl when they are done.
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Now you can start to roll the golabki.
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It seems self explanatory but its a little bit trickier than it looks.
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Take a leaf from your stack, lay it on a flat surface, like a cutting board, with the thick ridge in the center of the leaf facing the right.
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Take a paring knife and cut a triangle shape in the leaf to remove the hardest part of the ridge.
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This makes rolling the golabki easier, and creates a fun little PacMan shape.
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This will be a good point of reference in the next step, and a fun thing to point out to your kids!
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Take your pacman shaped cabbage leaf and face the mouth end to your right.
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Load the leaf with a good spoonful plus of the meat mixture (we eyeball based on the size of the leaf).
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Grab the leaf from the pacman end and fold it in towards the center.
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Do the same with the other side, holding on to the folds while you gather the leaf from top to bottom, folding the other way.
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This should create a neat rectangular package with no open ends.
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Roll as tightly as possible, but be gentle so as not to tear the tender leaf.
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Neatly seal them shut with toothpicks.
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Set on a platter as you complete them.
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(We keep the cabbage boiling through the process and try to get as many leaves as possible to use up the meat mixture.
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It depends on the cabbage how well youll do there.
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Large cabbage heads are actually much harder to roll golabki from, so opt for 2 small heads over one gigantic one. )
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(At this point Id just like to say... Its OK if they arent all gorgeous, and you can creatively wrap ones with tears or holes, so dont stress and have fun!)
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Once you are done rolling the golabki (pronounced, weirdly, go-whoomp-kee), heat up your favorite skillet to medium and break out your stick of butter.
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Slice a good sized pat of butter off , about a Tablespoon or 2 at a time.
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When the skillet has warmed some, load as many rolls as you can fit into the skillet, and just slightly brown them, turning to get all sides.
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Have a large pot standing by to place the recently browned golabki in.
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If youve encountered leaves that were too small/torn/tender to use, layer a few of them on the bottom of the pan.
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When removing the golabki from the skillet to the pot, place them with the toothpicked side facing up.
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As you continue to fry the rest of the golabki , add pats of butter fairly frequently.
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The butter will brown some by the end of your batch, but thats ok.
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When you are done, do not wash the skillet!
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Instead, add just a bit of water to loosen up the butter, and bring it to a foamy boil, which should only take a second or two.
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Pour the butter water over the top of your golabkis in the pot.
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Add your crushed tomatoes.
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We like to use at least one can, and sometimes a can of tomato sauce as well.
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Next, and importantly, break out your ketchup.
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Its the dirty little secret to this recipe that makes hers the best.
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Use about 3/4 cup of ketchup and GENEROUSLY cover the golabki.
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Put the ketchup right over the top of the tomatoes you just poured into your pot.
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Add about 3/4 cup of water, again pouring directly on top.
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There should be a good inch or so of liquid in the pot if you peer in on the sides.
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Cover the golabki/sauce combo with any additional cabbage leaves, and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat.
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Let it boil for about 5 minutes and then reduce the heat to low.
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Cover the pot with a nicely fitting lid.
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Steam and time make this work.
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The key here is patience.
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As a friend of mine with the initials AB always says, your patience will be rewarded.
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The key is for this to simmer for a LONG, long time.
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We do it for a minimum of 2 hours.
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This gives the cabbage time to steam and stew in the tomatoes, and for the flavors to really mix.
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Serve this with kielbasa and mashed potatoes, maybe some good rye bread on the side, and you will have a feast.
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*Note* Some people alter the tomato sauce to be sweet or sour.
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I like this plain recipe.
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You can add more ketchup for a bit more seasoned flavor or add more tomatoes as you see fit, just taste and adjust.
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When you reheat these, Grandma says to put a little ketchup right on top, even if you dont like ketchup.
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Really gives it a nice kick.
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Enjoy!
* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.
No additional tips available.
No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.
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Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.
You need 11 ingredients. The key ingredients include: 1 head Cabbage, Medium Size With Nice, Undamaged Leaves, 1 cup Long Grain Rice, 1 whole Yellow Onion, Minced Finely (use A Smallish One), 1 pound Ground Beef/sirloin, and more.
Yes, Grandmas Golabki! falls under the Meat & Poultry category and is a great choice for this type of meal.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently before serving.