90 min
Polish Coal Miner Piggies (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
Recipe GLPR93ac5adab4b4ad
Hearty stuffed cabbage rolls filled with a savory blend of ground beef and pork, rice, and sautéed vegetables, then braised in a sweet and tangy tomato sauce with maple syrup and crispy bacon. A traditional Polish comfort food that's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
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Ingredients
1 head of cabbage
1 ¾ lbs ground beef
¾ lbs ground pork
1 cup uncooked minute rice
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 large green peppers
2 large onions
3 stalks of celery
2 (16 oz) cans diced petite tomatoes
32 oz tomato juice
½ cup sugar
¾ cup maple syrup
6 to 7 slices of bacon
Directions
Remove the core from the head of cabbage using a long thin knife, cutting down around the center stem. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place the whole cabbage core-side down into the boiling water. As the outer leaves soften and separate from the head (about 3 to 5 minutes), carefully remove each leaf with tongs and place on a paper towel to cool. Continue until you have 12 to 15 usable leaves. Remove the cabbage head from the water and set aside.
Trim the thick center vein from the back of each cooled cabbage leaf by carefully cutting around it in a shallow 'V' shape. Shred the remaining cooked cabbage finely and set aside. Mince the green peppers, onions, and celery into small pieces.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, eggs, and uncooked rice. Mix until well combined. Add the ground beef and ground pork to the mixture and stir until just combined. Reserve about ½ to ¾ cup of the minced vegetable mixture, then fold the remaining minced peppers, onions, and celery into the meat mixture.
Mix the reserved minced vegetables with the shredded cabbage and set aside. In a separate bowl, stir together the canned diced tomatoes and sugar. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Create a bed of the shredded cabbage and vegetable mixture in a large baking pan (or two 9x13 inch pans). For each cabbage roll: place approximately 3 to 4 tablespoons of the meat mixture (adjust based on leaf size) at the bottom of a prepared leaf, overlapping the 'V' cut area. Roll the leaf about halfway over the filling, then fold the left and right edges inward toward the center. Continue rolling to the tip of the leaf, creating a compact log shape. Place each roll seam-side down on the cabbage bed.
Once all rolls are placed in the pan, pour the tomato and sugar mixture evenly over them.
Pour the tomato juice around and over the rolls until the liquid reaches just above the halfway point on the rolls.
Lay bacon slices over the rolls (one slice of bacon can cover approximately two rolls). Drizzle the maple syrup evenly over the bacon. Cover the pan(s) tightly with aluminum foil.
Place the covered pan(s) into the preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes.
Carefully remove the aluminum foil and return the pan(s) to the oven for an additional 15 minutes, until the bacon is browned and crispy and the internal temperature of the meat reaches 160°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. To serve, transfer rolls to a plate and spoon some of the shredded cabbage and braising sauce over top. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the juices and mashed potatoes drizzled with additional sauce.
