Name: My Mammaw's Stuffed Cabbage Has a Clever Retro Trick
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Eastern European
Ingredients: 1 large head green cabbage (2 1/2 to 3 pounds); 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce, divided; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 yellow onion; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup dark brown sugar; 2 lemons, juiced; 1 pound 85% lean ground beef; 1/3 cup long-grain basmati rice; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 Freeze the whole head of cabbage until frozen solid, at least two days. Three days before you wish to make the stuffed cabbage, move the cabbage to a bowl in the refrigerator to thaw. When you’re ready to assemble the stuffed cabbage, trim off the bottom of the fully thawed cabbage and use a paring knife to cut around and remove the core. Pull off as many large, unbroken leaves as you can and lay them on paper towels to dry.

2 Measure out 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce and set it aside in a large bowl. Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining tomato sauce, sugar, and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3 In the large bowl with the reserved tomato sauce, combine the ground beef, rice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix until just combined (do not overmix).

4 Working with one leaf at a time, place 1/4 cup of the filling in the center of a cabbage leaf. Fold the sides of the cabbage over the filling. Then, start at the thick end of the leaf and roll up the whole cabbage leaf into a tight bundle. Repeat with the remaining leaves until you have used up all of your filling.

5 Spoon 1 cup of the cooked sauce onto the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven. Arrange the stuffed cabbage leaves seam-side down in the sauce, packing them snugly to keep them bundled and stacking them into a second layer as needed. Pour the remaining cooked sauce over the stuffed cabbage. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the cabbage is slightly translucent, 45 minutes to 1 hour. To check for doneness, open a bundle to check that the rice is tender and the beef is brown throughout, not pink, or check with a probe thermometer that the internal temperature is at least 160°F.

6 Sprinkle the tops of the stuffed cabbage with dill and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!