“Sarma” is the Croatian word for stuffed cabbage rolls. My mother-in-law gave me this recipe when I married her son.  It has been in their family for years and is served at most holidays.  I use a mixture of ground pork and ground beef to keep the filling tender. Anytime I can get authentic kielbasa from a specialty meat shop, that is what I prefer to use in this dish.  When I can’t get to the specialty market, the smoked sausage at the grocery store will substitute.

 

 

 

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Wash the cabbage heads and remove a couple of the outer leaves. Remove the core so the leaves will come off easier.  Place in a large pot of boiling water to soften the leaves so they are easily removed, one at a time.  Let the leaves cool on a baking sheet with a wire rack.

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Slice the kielbasa into 1-2” chunks. Set aside.

Mix the ground beef, pork, onions, catsup, garlic powder, salt & pepper, cooked rice & eggs in a large bowl. Use your hands to get all the ingredients combined evenly.

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Fill the cabbage leaves with about ¼ – ½ cup of the meat filling each, depending on the size of the leaves.   Fold sides over meat then roll starting from the core end.  The meat is soft enough to hold it all together, no toothpicks necessary.  I usually get 15-16 rolls with this recipe.

Layer the cabbage rolls & sausage chunks in a large pot.  Start by chopping any remaining cabbage and placing it at the bottom of the pot. Then add a layer using half of cabbage rolls & sausage chunks.  Top this layer with half the sauerkraut.

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Add another layer and top it with the remaining sauerkraut.

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If there are any unused leaves, place them on top.  Pour in enough tomato juice to cover the first layer.  You should be able to see the juice about half way up the pot.  Cover and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 1 ½ hours.

Serve with some of the juice in the bottom of the pot.

Sarma & Kielbasa
 
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I usually get 15-16 rolls with this recipe.
Ingredients
  • Medium size head cabbage
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 1 C. diced onion
  • 1 C. cooked white rice
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ C. catsup
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 large can sauerkraut
  • 1 qt tomato juice
  • 2 links kielbasa sausage
Instructions
  1. Wash the cabbage heads and remove a couple of the outer leaves.
  2. Remove the core so the leaves will come off easier.
  3. Place in a large pot of boiling water to soften the leaves so they are easily removed, one at a time. Let the leaves cool on a baking sheet with a wire rack.
  4. Slice the kielbasa into 1-2” chunks. Set aside.
  5. Mix the ground beef, pork, onions, catsup, garlic powder, salt & pepper, cooked rice & eggs in a large bowl. Use your hands to get all the ingredients combined evenly.
  6. Fill the cabbage leaves with about ¼ - ½ cup of the meat filling each, depending on the size of the leaves. Fold sides over meat then roll starting from the core end. The meat is soft enough to hold it all together, no toothpicks necessary.
  7. Layer the cabbage rolls & sausage chunks in a large pot.
  8. Start by chopping any remaining cabbage and placing it at the bottom of the pot.
  9. Then add a layer using half of the cabbage rolls & sausage chunks.
  10. Top this layer with half the sauerkraut.
  11. Add another layer and top it with the remaining sauerkraut.
  12. If there are any unused leaves, place them on top.
  13. Pour in enough tomato juice to cover the first layer. You should be able to see the juice about half way up the pot.
  14. Cover and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 1 ½ hours.