When I was a girl, Nana grew cabbage in the garden and this was one of the recipes she made to use the cabbage. I made it exactly as the recipe called and I think this recipe is one of the best renditions of hers that I have ever done. In a moment I was taken back to her kitchen table where she was bent over folding together the rolls and singing along to the radio.
The cabbage roll recipe is hamburger and rice with spices and an ingredient not found in all recipes for this old fashioned main dish and when it is, often it is overwhelming. Nana used just the right amount of cinnamon to balance a hint of sweetness with the heartiness of the meal – I hope you will love it as much as I do!
Nana’s Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients:
12 Cabbage Leaves
1 and ½ Pounds of Hamburger meat
1 and ½ Cups shredded cheese
1 Cup cooked rice
1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes – I always use Red Gold!
1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
6 Strips of bacon cut in half
1 egg beaten
2 teaspoons salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon ground sage
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
12 toothpicks
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 F
Mix the hamburger, cooled cooked rice, cheese, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, sage and cinnamon together.
Cut that hard piece out of the cabbage leaf – if there is one. Cut it out like this:
Bring a pot of water with 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil and drop each cabbage leaf into the water. Using a slotted spoon, take the cabbage out after about a minute – you just want the cabbage to be flexible.
When you take the cabbage out of the boiling water, lay them down on paper towels.
Taking about a serving spoon full of hamburger mixture,
put it into one cabbage leaf and roll up like this. Just like a burrito by folding in the sides as you go.
Wrap a piece of bacon around the roll and secure it all with a toothpick.
Pour the can of diced tomatoes in the bottom of the dish – and you can even stack them 2 high like she did with a little tomato in between each layer.
When they are assembled,
pour the can of crushed tomatoes over the top.
Cook in oven between 45 minutes and an hour. Let it rest for a few minutes and then serve!
I am partying this weekend at Weekend Potluck! http://www.thecountrycook.net/2014/03/weekend-potluck-110.html
There’s just something about those bygone dishes that keep us wanting more. I’ll bet you you were feeling some old school comfort when you made those beauties. 🙂
I was Adam – thanks!
Except for the bacon, that is the way my mother made them. I haven’t made one in years because my husband really doesn’t like cabbage, but he just might have to put up with it one day this week :-}
Joan
That’s exactly what my husband did – drug around the house with that face men put on when they don’t like something. I cooked 3 cabbage dishes in one day! 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
Oh my gosh… why have I NEVER heard of wrapping bacon around cabbage rolls?! Your Nana was a culinary GENIUS, and so are you, for bringing her dish back to life 🙂
Thank you Becca! The bacon gives the cabbage a deeper flavor. She cooked for her 5 brothers and sisters then her and pa’s 6 kids, numbers children she babysat, grandkids and neighbors. She had lots of practice! 🙂
Ok, I’ve never heard of adding cinnamon, but I also never heard of using sage, cheese or bacon either! Here, they’re called Gwanki (not sure on that spelling) and we thought it was a Polish dish; they always have ample garlic in the meat mixture. Since we’ll be eating corned beef and cabbage tomorrow, I’ll make sure to leave some of the larger leaves separate so we can try this soon!
I kind of think Nana got at least part of this recipe from mom’s best friend in school (Mary Jo) mother – they were Lebanese so that could be the cinnamon influence. I hope you enjoy it!
I’ll let you know! I’m sure it will be good, though. Sounds too good not to be! Thanks.
My grandmother made these all the time when I was growing up. I don’t have her recipe, though. I’ll have to try yours!
Also, I know it’s not the technical name for them, but she always called them pigs in a blanket. I’m not sure why. Daniel makes fun of me when I call them that.
I think different parts of the country call them different things – I think it’s cute! Maybe she put some pork in hers?
I don’t believe she did, but maybe her mom made them with pork, giving them the name… Who knows. I just Googled it, and apparently it’s a Pa Dutch thing. I should have realized this way before now!
I also call Grilled Cheese “toasted cheese” because I have to be different, apparently 😉
Well – apparently you are. I don’t think you can toast cheese, only melt it. 🙂 Hahaha!
Growing up in SW Ohio, it was always referred to as a toast cheese sandwich.
I used to make this dish but the cinnamon and bacon puts it on a different level, so I’ll be trying it again this coming week.
Lillian
I think you will like it Lillian! If you just use that 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon, you will love it. Once I added 1/4 teaspoon and it was just too much. Too sweet.
Hiya Kelli, I was taught by my mother and Granny on how to make Cabbage rolls, They Both had their opinions on what to put in them, Granddaddy didn’t like bacon in it he would say, bacons for breakfast!, but Mom and Granny would mix everything together and add tomato paste to the mixture.
Sounds wonderful Tena! I always think it is interesting to see who unwinds their bacon setting it aside and who eats it right along with the rest of the roll. Everyone has a different name and a different version – all good! 🙂 Thank you for dropping by and please come again!
These cabbage rolls have a lot of delicious flavour 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
MMMM—I can almost smell the savory aroma with the hint of cinnamon. Love these vintage recipes.
The bacon is a brilliant addition, Kelli! Of course, I’d add bacon to just about anything. 🙂 I love your Nana’s cabbage rolls. Is there anything that woman didn’t make deliciously?!
Thank you Stacy! I cannot think of anything she could not make well – I guess it comes from lots and lots of practice!
Oh Kelli, these make me think of my grandma! As a kid I wouldn’t eat cabbage, so she made me meatballs with the filling.
Grandmas are good like that, aren’t they? I find myself doing things for Rocket that I would NEVER done for my daughter or sons! 🙂
So, _2_ cans of tomatoes are needed?
Hi Mary – yes, 1 diced and 1 crushed although I assume you could use 2 fourteen ounce cans of whatever kind of tomato products you have! Thanks for dropping by and please come again!
I cannot find a 14 1/2 oz can of CRUSHED tomatoes anywhere!!!
Oh no! How odd — oh well, just get some whole tomatoes and smash them with the bottom of a glass or mug or even a potato masher!