Tony Packo's Stuffed Cabbage

By KathieC

Ingredients

• 1 C rice
• 1 head cabbage (about 3 lbs)
• 2 lbs ground beef (or 1 lb ground pork + 1 lb ground beef)
• 2 eggs
• 2 medium onions, chopped and divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• Paprika to taste
• 1 lb sauerkraut, canned or bulk
• 1 1-lb can whole tomatos, mashed, juice retained
• 1 can (10 oz) tomato soup
• 2 T sugar

Preparation

Step 1

In small bowl, soak rice in cold water 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove core from cabbage and immerse head in boiling water long enough to wilt leaves, about 10 minutes. Remove from water and drain. Remove large leaves and cut out large vein from the center of each with a triangular cut.

In large bowl combine meat, eggs, 1 chopped onion, garlic, salt, pepper and paprika to taste. Rinse soaked rice well with cold water, drain and add to bowl. With hands mix ingredients until well combined.

Place about 1/2 C meat mixture on each cabbage leaf and roll up, tucking sides in like and egg roll. Secure rolls with toothpick. Repeat procedure until all meat mixture is used. Set rolls aside.

Removing any remaining core, chop the rest of the cabbage. Place in a large bowl with sauerkraut, mashed tomatos and juice, tomato soup, remaining chopped onion, sugar and additional salt, pepper and paprika to taste. Mix well. Put some of mixture on bottom of large, heavy, covered kettle or Dutch oven. Place cabbage/meat rolls upright around edge and center of kettle. Put remainder of cabbage/tomato mixture on top. Fill kettle with enough water to cover the tops of the rolls and cool over low heat about 2 hours, adding water as needed to keep rolls completely covered.

Serve with Sour Cream Sauce.