More Recipes Like This

Related Collections

Free Membership

Favorite Products

Print This Recipe

Full Page

3x5 Card

4x6 Card

Email This Recipe

Grandma Elaine's Unstuffed Sweet and Sour Cabbage

SUBMITTED BY: Chef Daddy Pete PHOTO BY: jalexandropoulos

"This is a family heirloom recipe that has been handed down through the ages. My mother taught it to me, and I tweaked it to its current form. I have eaten all kinds of 'stuffed' cabbage and this recipe beats them all. It's sweet, sour, and comforting. The flavors are even better the second day. This dish also freezes well."

RECIPE RATING:

Read Reviews (8)

Review/Rate This Recipe

PREP TIME	20 Min
COOK TIME	2 Hrs 40 Min
READY IN	3 Hrs 20 Min

SERVINGS

(Help)

Servings
USMETRIC

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 onions, sliced
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds green cabbage, cored, and cut into 3 inch chunks
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons instant white rice
3 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup packed brown sugar, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place the vegetable oil into a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the sliced onions, and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce, using a spoon to slightly chop the whole tomatoes. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir the cabbage into the tomatoes. Cover, and simmer 1 hour until the cabbage is tender and mixes easily with the tomatoes.
Place the ground beef, eggs, finely chopped onion, rice, water, additional 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix together with hands until thoroughly blended. Add additional rice if mixture is too moist. Form into golf ball-sized meatballs. Place meatballs on a plate, and refrigerate 20 minutes to firm.
Place meatballs on the surface of the tomato mixture. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the meatballs are firm and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Gently stir the meatballs into the tomato mixture. Cover the pot and continue to simmer 45 minutes more. Stir in the lemon juice, and taste for seasoning, adding additional lemon juice if required. Stir in the raisins, and honey. Add the brown sugar, a little at a time, tasting after each addition. Cook mixture over medium heat 15 minutes more.

ADVERTISE WITH US

REVIEWS

Reviewed on Dec. 12, 2007 by bornagainrainbow

I too grew up with this recipe. It is truly wonderful and worth the time. It was always a... MORE

Reviewed on Nov. 5, 2007 by AMBERLEENA

Very good, thanks for the recipe. I cooked the meatballs in the oven so the grease didn't go... MORE

Reviewed on May 28, 2008 by sweetascandice

Having had mediocre cabbage rolls this past weekend, I was craving something good. This was... MORE

Reviewed on Mar. 1, 2008 by Tam (Canada)

This is a fantastic recipe! I used more rice than called for (1 cup brown instant rice), and... MORE

Reviewed on Feb. 23, 2008 by Jaxmom35

This is time consuming, but really good. And yes, it does taste even better the next day if... MORE

Reviewed on Nov. 28, 2007 by SMALLIE81

Hmmm...this recipe is pretty good. I am not sure it is worth 2.5 hours cooking time good... MORE

Reviewed on Nov. 20, 2007 by Chef Daddy Pete

This is the original recipe, except I substituted BROWN SUGAR for the White Sugar. Tastes... MORE

Reviewed on Nov. 1, 2007 by jalexandropoulos

This is very good. It reminds me of something my Greek mother in law whom lives in Germany... MORE