This is a three step process: Preparing the cabbage leaves, preparing the meat mixture and stuffing the leaves. It can be done on stove-top or in oven.
Ingredients:
1 large head of cabbage or two smaller ones.
4 lbs of ground meat. A mixture of ground beef and ground pork
¾ cup long grain white rice (not instant) 1 onion
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 can or jar of plain sauerkraut (not sweetened and not with caraway seeds) Drain the liquid from the can or jar.
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare cabbage:
You will need a very large pot to boil the cabbage. Pot can be ½ to ¾ full of water.
Before placing the cabbage in the boiling water, make deep cuts with a sharp knife around the core so you can remove the cabbage leaves easily one at a time as they boil. This is best done with a fork stuck in the core and tongs to gently pull away the leaves without tearing them.
After you remove the first few leaves, you might have to score the core again. This is best done if you remove the entire cabbage to a plate as the boiling water can scald you. Score and return to boiling water. Repeat as often as necessary.
As you remove them, place on a platter to cool. When they are cooled, with a paring knife, carefully slice off the thick membrane on the outer side of the leave so it will fold easily.
Filling:
Dice the onion and stir fry in a little bit of the oil. Place in a large bowl and add the raw ground meat.
Add the raw rice
Pour some of the diced tomatoes in the mixture for moisture.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
When the cabbage leaves are cored, place a few of the outer leaves in the bottom of a large dutch oven to cook on top of stove or you can use the blue-speckled roasting pan to bake in oven.
Put the filling in the cabbage leaves and roll up tucking in the sides. Place a row in the bottom of the pan.
Layer a little bit of the sauerkraut and some of the meat loosely an the prepare another row of cabbage leaves. Top this row with sauerkraut and a little loose meat. Continue this process until all the meat is used up. It’s often hard to get the meat and cabbage leaves to come out exactly the same—you might have some leaves left over. You can chop these finely and add to the pan if desired.
Add remaining diced tomatoes on top of the entire mixture and add some water to the pan. The liquid of tomatoes and water should come almost to the top of the pan.
Cook on stovetop in covered dutch oven at medium heat or roast in oven with lid on at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.