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Pulled Pork Cabbage Rolls

Pulled Pork Cabbage Rolls

Every time I make pulled pork, I always have plenty of leftovers. Although a sandwich or two for lunch is an awesome thing, I seem to run out of buns before the pork is gone. Sure, it freezes well it's just that I've not yet had my fill.

I've experimented with recipes where pulled pork is a key ingredient, but my favorite is cabbage rolls. Growing up with a grandmother from Eastern Europe, I have fond memories of her cabbage rolls. She'd cook these things all day filling the entire house with their aroma. In an attempt to relive the memory, I believe I've replicated her cabbage roll recipe. Of course all who know me understand that I'd have to add a twist of barbecue to them. Enjoy!

Makes about 6 servings.


Ingredients

  • 1 large head of green cabbage
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, diced
  • 3 cups pulled pork
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups cooked long grain brown rice
  • 1 29-oz can tomato sauce

Directions

  1. Trim the stalk off the bottom of the cabbage. Carefully remove as many leaves as possible, being careful to not split them.
  2. Fill a stockpot with enough water to cover the cabbage leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer cabbage leaves for 8 minutes.
  3. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the water.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine carrot, celery, onion, garlic, pork, BBQ sauce and cooked rice. Mix well. Your hands work best.
  5. In a second mixing bowl, combine reserved cabbage water, chicken stock and tomato paste. Mix well and set aside.
  6. Time to roll. Carefully select a cabbage leaf and lay flat with the stem side facing you. Place about a 1/4 cup of filling in the center. Tuck in the sides of the leaf and fold in half, up to the filling. At the filling, slightly tuck and then roll. I'll be honest, this takes a little practice. Hang in there!
  7. Place the cabbage roll back in the stock pot. Continue with remaining rolls, stacking neatly in the stockpot.
  8. Cover cabbage rolls with the tomato sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for an hour.
  9. Carefully remove cabbage rolls and place in a baking dish. Tightly cover with aluminum foil and place in an oven at warm.
  10. Bring tomato sauce to a boil, uncovered and reduce heat to medium. Allow mixture to reduce by half.
  11. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste and ladle over cabbage rolls. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Happy Grilling!