Old Fashioned Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Preparation

Start by cooking the cabbage in boiling water. Place the whole head of cabbage in the water just long enough for the outer leaves to pull away easily. This usually takes around 10-15 minutes. Once the cabbage leaves are softened, carefully remove the cabbage and set it aside to cool slightly.
Once cooled, carefully peel off 12 large, outer leaves from the cabbage. These will be used to roll up the filling. Set them aside while you prepare the filling. Don’t discard the remaining cabbage! It will be used as a base layer in the Dutch oven.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the uncooked ground beef, ground pork, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, chopped onion, uncooked rice, dried parsley, salt, fresh dill (or dill weed), and cayenne pepper. Mix everything together thoroughly, making sure the ingredients are evenly distributed. The rice will cook as the cabbage rolls bake, absorbing all the delicious flavors from the meat mixture and the sauce.

Now, take the cabbage leaves and cut out the thick vein at the bottom of each leaf by making a V-shaped cut. This helps the leaves to roll up more easily and ensures that the rolls will hold together.
Place about 1/4 cup of the meat mixture onto the center of each cabbage leaf. Be sure to spread it out evenly. Fold in the sides of the cabbage leaf, then roll it up from the cut end toward the tip, ensuring the filling is securely enclosed. Repeat this process with the remaining cabbage leaves and meat mixture.

Slice the remaining cabbage into strips. Place these strips at the bottom of a Dutch oven to create a bed for the cabbage rolls. This layer of cabbage helps keep the rolls from sticking to the bottom and adds flavor to the dish.
Place the cabbage rolls seam-side down on top of the sliced cabbage. Arrange them tightly together so they stay in place during baking. The cabbage rolls should be snug, but not overcrowded.

In a separate bowl, combine the undrained diced tomatoes with the remaining 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and the sugar. Stir to combine. Pour this mixture evenly over the cabbage rolls, ensuring they are well-coated. The sauce will cook into the cabbage rolls, infusing them with flavor.

Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and bake in the preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the cabbage rolls are tender and the rice is fully cooked. The cabbage should be soft, and the filling should be fully cooked through. If you’d like a slightly crispy top, you can remove the lid during the last 10 minutes of baking.

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