Meat and Poultry

Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage (Cabbage Rolls)

Hungarian stuffed cabbage with minced pork, pork ribs, bacon, and pork sausages.

My paternal grandfather was from Hungary, and Dad spent the first few years of his life in that country before the family emigrated to Canada. Grandpa J brought with him the art of making sauerkraut, and he was always proud to show us the heavy crock of bubbly sauerkraut that often sat in the corner of the basement, sending a somewhat malodorous scent out into the cool space below the house.


Töltött káposzta (Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage, or Cabbage Rolls)

  • 300 g minced pork
  • 50 g diced smoked bacon
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 80 g boiled rice
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • Salt, pepper and paprika to taste
  • 300 g pork spareribs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • water
  • 1 kg full leaf pickled cabbage (sauerkraut), drained and rinsed
  • boiled smoked sausage
  • 2 T fat
  • 40 g flour
  • paprika
  • Sour cream

Mix minced pork with diced smoked bacon, onion, egg, boiled rice, crushed garlic, salt, pepper and paprika. Roll filling in 4 pickled cabbage leaves, tucking in the ends.

Cook 300 g sparerib of pork in a little water until tender, add the bay leaf and sauerkraut. Make hollows in the sauerkraut for the four cabbage rolls, nestle them inside, cover, and cook until tender.

Carefully remove the cabbage rolls from the bed of sauerkraut and set aside, keeping them warm.

Prepare a roux from the 2 tablespoon of fat, 40g flour and paprika. Add some of the sauerkraut liquid to it to make a smooth paste, then return to the sauerkraut pot and cook until thickened.

Cut any meat chunks into small pieces and serve with the cabbage rolls, boiled smoked sausage, and sour cream.

Serves: 4


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