Halupki (Stuffed Cabbage)

Ingredients

• 1 head cabbage , cored
• water to cover
• 0.25 teaspoons salt
• 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
• 1.5 pounds ground pork
• 1.5 cups cooked white rice
• 2 large eggs , slightly beaten
• 0.25 cups finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 0.5 teaspoons garlic powder
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 0.5 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 can tomato sauce , 28 ounce
• 0.25 cups white vinegar
• 2.67 tablespoons white sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Place cabbage in a stockpot; pour over enough water to cover. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn cabbage every 2 to 3 minutes; transfer any leaves that separate from cabbage into a strainer to drain and cool. Continue to boil until all the leaves have cooked, about 15 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of cabbage cooking water. Cut out the tough, thick center ribs of any large cabbage leaves with a sharp knife.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

3. 3

   Mix ground beef, ground pork, cooked rice, eggs, onion, fresh parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Lay 1 cabbage leaf on a flat surface; place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling at the base of a cabbage leaf. Overlap with the bottom of the leaf; fold in side edges and roll up.

4. 4

   Repeat with remaining large cabbage leaves and filling.

5. 5

   Cut any leftover cabbage leaves into pieces and place in the bottom of a roasting pan. Layer stuffed cabbage rolls on top.

6. 6

   Combine tomato sauce, reserved cabbage water, white vinegar, and white sugar in a bowl; pour mixture over cabbage rolls. Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil.

7. 7

   Bake in the preheated oven until filling is cooked through and sauce has thickened, about 2 1/2 hours. Baste stuffed cabbage rolls every hour.