How to Prepare Tasty Halupkis (stuffed cabbage)

Halupkis (stuffed cabbage). Halupki, also known as stuffed cabbage on the Russian/Ukranian side of my family, is a dish made of rice, beef, and pork encased in cabbage drizzled with a thin, sweet tomato sauce. Every family has their own twist on this traditional dish. Combine tomato soup, broth, chopped tomatoes, and reserved cooking liquid and pour over halupki.

Always used salt pork cut little and sauteed then added to uncooked beef and pork and uncooked rice and onion. Rolled the steamed cabbage rolls in tall pot with leftover cabbage leaf's in bottom added a few inches of water and steamed all the rolls. Halupki Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are a traditional Eastern European dish. You can cook Halupkis (stuffed cabbage) using 11 ingredients and 15 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Ingredients of Halupkis (stuffed cabbage)

1. It's 2 heads of cabbage.
2. Prepare 1 pound of long grain white rice.
3. It's to taste of Salt.
4. Prepare 1 pound of ground beef.
5. Prepare 1/4 pound of ground pork.
6. You need 1 of large onion.
7. Prepare 3 tablespoons of butter.
8. You need 1 can of diced tomatoes.
9. It's 1 of large can whole tomatoes.
10. You need 1 can of tomato soup/1 can of water.
11. Prepare of Paprika.

One pound long grain white rice. Cut the bottom cord off the cabbage. Boil in water one head at a time Remove large outer leaves from cabbage and set aside. Place head in a large pot filled with boiling salted water.

Halupkis (stuffed cabbage) step by step

1. Cut the bottom cord off the cabbage. Boil in water one head at a time..
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer, then carefully peel the cabbage leaves off. Be patient. Cooking cabbage takes time (about 25 minutes).
3. Cover the rice with just enough water to cover the rice. Season with salt prior to cooking rice..
4. Low heat once rice is boiling. Cook for 10 minutes turn off heat. Cover the pot while simmering.
5. Remember, once the water begins to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. In a large bowl mix the hamburger and 1/4 pound ground pork. Do not cook.
7. Saute the onion in butter for several minutes.
8. Pour the onion/butter mixture into the rice and mix with meat mixture. Blend thoroughly.
9. Remove any thick cords from cabbage. Roll and fold then roll more. Kind of like a burrito.
10. Add unused cabbage leaves to bottom of pot. Place opening side face down. Add butter on each halupki and season with paprika. Keep layering.
11. In a medium size bowl mix together the diced tomatoes, large can of whole tomatoes (squeeze the whole tomatoes) can of tomato soup and can of water. Do Not Add this liquid mixture until you are about to bake.
12. Cover with foil.
13. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
14. Reduce to 350 and bake for one and half hours more.
15. Family Secret-add some evaporated milk to the halupkis when serving for a creamy base**.

Cover and cook three minutes or until softened enough to pull off individual leaves. Add a second layer of stuffed cabbage rolls and a second layer of sauerkraut and tomato mixture. Watch carefully so stuffed cabbages don't burn. Serve with pan juices and a drizzle of sour cream, if desired, and mashed potatoes and crusty bread. Cabbage rolls freeze well before or after cooking, and can be made in a slow cooker (see your manufacturer's instructions).