Greg's German Cabbage Rolls, with a Spicy Twist

A while back, I posted Greg's low-carb recipe for cabbage rolls cooked in my homemade roasted tomato & basil sauce.

This time, I'm sharing Greg's recipe for German cabbage rolls (kohlrouladen), but with his signature spicy twist. It's based on a recipe for traditional German cabbage rolls that doesn't use hot peppers.

Ingredients
1 head cabbage (green or savoy - Greg used green)
Bacon fat or oil for frying
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 lb ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbs bread crumbs
1 tsp finely minced jalapeno pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground mustard seed (i.e., dry or powdered mustard)
1/2 tsp dried oregano 
1/2 tsp garlic powder 
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 cup chicken broth*
1/4 cup cold water
1 Tbs cornstarch

*For richer flavor, you can use beef broth instead.

Stuffing the cabbage leaves

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, leaving enough room for the cabbage head. Trim the cabbage by removing any wilted or discolored outer leaves and cutting out the core. Place the cabbage in the boiling water and boil until tender but not falling apart. Drain into a colander and rinse with very cold water until the cabbage is cool enough to handle - this also stops the cooking process so that the leaves don't get mushy. Peel off the leaves and rinse individually to remove any grit. Shake off excess water and set leaves aside in colander to let any remaining water drain off.

While the cabbage is cooking & cooling, saute the onions in a little bit of bacon fat or oil until translucent. In a large bowl combine the ground beef with the eggs, bread crumbs, sauteed onions, jalapeno and seasonings until thoroughly mixed.

To assemble the cabbage rolls, place about 2 Tbs of the ground beef mixture center of each cabbage leaf, then roll the leaf like a burrito as shown above on the left.

Carefully slide the rolls into the hot bacon fat or oil in the skillet (add a little more fat or oil if needed) with the seam side down in the fat so that they seal as they cook, and lightly brown over medium heat. You'll work in batches so as to not overcrowd the skillet. Carefully turn the rolls over to lightly brown the other sides.

Pour 1/2 cup broth into the pan, cover and simmer for approx. 45 minutes or until filling is thoroughly cooked, adding a little more broth as needed if the pan begins to dry out.

When the cabbage rolls are cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer to a platter or holding dish while you make the gravy: Add any remaining broth to the pan, raise heat to a strong simmer and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping up any caramelized bits. Combine the cornstarch and cold water (shake together in a small lidded jar, or whisk until cornstarch is completely dissolved) then pour into the pan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and nicely browned.

To serve, carefully spoon the rolls out onto individual plates, about 3 to 5 rolls per person, and spoon some of the gravy from the pan over the served rolls.

Refrigerate any leftovers and reheat to enjoy.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria
Carolina Sauce Company