Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

sweet and sour cabbage rolls

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Pam Ellingson
Wichita, KS

Mother used to make this recipe once a week for the Deli where she worked. They sold a ton of these every Wednesday. I am going to post it for the original recipe but will include the cut down version for 4-8 people also. They are my Favorite of all cabbage rolls, because they remind me of sauerbraten. So Tasty.

(1 rating)
yield serving(s)
method Bake

Ingredients For sweet and sour cabbage rolls

  • 20
    heads of cabbage (1 head)
  • 1 1/4 c
    flour (1 tbsp.)
  • 20 c
    raisins (1 cup)
  • 20 lb
    ground beef - 80 or more % lean (1 lb.)
  • 30 c
    cooked rice (1 1/2 c.)
  • 2 1/2 c
    grated onion (2 tbsp)
  • 6 2/3 Tbsp
    salt this amount is 6 tbsp plus 2 tsp ( 1 tsp)
  • 1 1/2 c
    chopped green pepper (1/4 cup)
  • 20 md
    onions, sliced (1 onion)
  • 4 gal
    tomatoes, canned italian style with juice (1 -15 oz can)
  • 20
    bay leaves (1-2 leaves)
  • 2 1/2 c
    vegetable oil (2 tbsp)
  • 10 c
    water ( 1/2 c.)
  • 2 1/2 c
    brown sugar (2 tbsp)
  • 2 1/2 c
    lemon juice (2 tbsp)
  • 5 c
    ground ginger snaps (1/4 c.)

How To Make sweet and sour cabbage rolls

  • 1
    Cut core out of cabbage and place in large pot of boiling water to soften outer leaves. Using tongs, grab the stem end of the leaf and pull it off as it softens. Place leaves on paper towel lined pan for use later. When you have enough leaves to wrap the amount of rolls you want, remove the remainder of the cabbage head and let cool. When cool, chop coarsely (or shred) and reserve. Slice onions and reserve.
  • 2
    Grease and flour the pans (casserole 10x17 or so) Place chopped Cabbage and sliced onions in bottom of the pan.
  • 3
    Combine rice, beef, 1/2 the raisins, grated onion, green pepper, salt and pepper. Mix well and measure into 4 ounce rolls. Wrap rolls in softened cabbage leaves, tuck in the ends and place rolls, seam side down, on top of the cabbage and onions in the pan.
  • 4
    When all rolls are made, sprinkle with the remaining raisins, and bay leaves and spread the tomatoes over all.
  • 5
    Combine Oil, Brown sugar, water, lemon juice and gingersnaps, mix well and pour over the top of the rolls.
  • 6
    Cover the casserole with foil and poke a few holes in the foil to let steam escape. Bake 1 1/2 hours at 350 Degrees.
  • 7
    The large recipe makes 4 full length steam pans of about 24 rolls each. Small recipe makes 6-8 servings.
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