Slow Cooker Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

by Bretta Thompson
(Greenwood, Indiana)

I LOVE stuffed Cabbage rolls but it can be time consuming. So I came up with a quicker method that can slow cook all day if you want, or be ready in 4 hours. This is a MUST on New Years Day in our family.

Ingredients:
1-2 heads of cabbage
2-3 lbs. of Ground Hamburger or Ground Turkey
3-4 cups cooked white or brown rice
2-3 eggs
1 large jar sauerkraut
3 cans Stewed tomatoes (large cans)
Brown sugar (just a few tablespoons)
Salt and Pepper
Tomato Sauce (28 oz. - 800g can or homemade)


Method:
Place 1 small can stewed tomatoes in bottom of crock pot. (I have a HUGE crock pot, but this should fit in a 6 qt.)

Sprinkle 2 tbs brown sugar over tomatoes. Place about 1/2 cup. sauerkraut (squeeze out juice) over the tomatoes.

Place 2 cabbage leaves on bottom. Try to keep the leaves whole by cutting them off as close to stem as possible. I sometimes Boil the head for a few minutes to soften it up.

Mix Meat, Cooked Rice, 2 c. drained Sauerkraut, 2 eggs, 1 15 oz. jar stewed tomatoes (drained) in a bowl, and mix thoroughly. Add 2 tsp. salt, 1-2 tsp pepper depending on your pepper liking and mix up.

Spread about 1/2 cup meat mixture over cabbage leaves, you want to cover the cabbage leaves. You can put as much of the meat as you want on each layer, but you want enough meat to continue to layer up to the top or until cabbage leaves are gone.

So layer Cabbage leaves, Meat, pour 1/4 c. tomatoe sauce over meat, a little sauerkraut if you like, then cabbage leaves, meat, tomatoe sauce, sauerkraut and continue layering until cabbage leaves or meat are all used up, whichever comes first.

I top the whole thing with more sauerkraut and stewed tomatoes. Place on low for 6-8 hours, or high for a bout 4.

Notes:
This will taste JUST like the rolls you spent hours stuffing! You can use ground turkey and brown rice for a healthier version, and I PROMISE you wont notice a difference.

You can also puree some tomatoes on your own for the sauce instead of canned for a lower salt content. Use as MUCH sauerkraut as you like, I use 2 jars myself because we love sauerkraut.

You can also use 2 heads of cabbage if you like LOTS of cabbage. When the neighbors know I am making this, they are knocking 8 hours later!

Thanks Bretta

I have tried stuffed cabbage rolls in the slow cooker before but never with success - so I will have to give this a go.

You will need a Large crock pot for this - so if yours is a bit small you may need to halve the recipe.

Happy Cooking
Lisa "The Crock Cook"