Grandma P’s Homemade Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce | Divaqbbq
Grandma P’s Homemade Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce
75 mins prepServes 8
Tender cabbage leaves stuffed with beef, pork, bacon, rice and onions, smothered in homemade tomato sauce and smoked on a Traeger. An old-fashioned comfort food recipe that never goes out of style.
1. BEST CABBAGE TIP EVER: 24 hours before making, place whole cabbage, uncovered, in freezer. After 24 hours, remove, thaw completely and separate leaves.
2. FILLING: Sauté bacon until fat renders. Add onion and garlic; cook until softened. Cool. Combine with beef, pork, rice, eggs, salt and pepper.
3. SAUCE: Heat olive oil. Sauté onion 5–10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and chopped cabbage core. Cook until softened. Add tomatoes, purée, brown sugar, vinegar and seasonings. Simmer 5–10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until slightly thickened.
4. ROLL: Place 2–3 oz filling on each leaf. Fold bottom over filling, tuck sides and roll tightly.
5. ASSEMBLE: Spoon sauce into aluminum pans. Arrange rolls seam-side down and cover with remaining sauce.
6. SMOKE: Preheat Traeger to 225°F. Smoke 2 hours. Increase to 350°F and cook approximately 30 minutes longer, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
7. SERVE: Rest 10–15 minutes. Spoon extra sauce over cabbage rolls and enjoy! Even better the next day!
