Holupki - Pigs in the Blanket - Mom’s Recipe

3 lbs. Ground Chuck (do not use ground round, need some fat)
1 ½ cups rice – bring to boil in 3 cups water, lower temp and simmer for 25 minutes.
6 oz. can tomato paste
28 oz. can tomato puree
3 – 4 cloves garlic
1 medium onion – fried in butter
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 large head cabbage

Cut around the core of the cabbage which will make it easier to remove the leaves. Place head in boiling water, and boil until first set of leaves can be removed. Keep putting the cabbage back into the boiling water until all leaves are removed. Save the real green leaves for the bottom of pot.

Mix burger, rice, eggs and fried onion in a large bowl, add salt and pepper.

Put approx. 2 tablespoons oil on bottom of large pot; use the green leaves and any of the damaged or crappy looking leaves to line the bottom of the pot.

Remove the spine on the cabbage leaves, add a tablespoon of the meat mixture, and roll. Place rolled cabbage into the pot. If you have any meat mixture leftover, roll into meat balls and place on top of cabbage rolls, and put any leftover cabbage that cannot be used to roll on top of the balls.

Here’s where the love part comes in:

In the same bowl that the meat mixture was in, put the garlic (doesn’t matter if you slice or dice), vinegar, tomato paste and the puree into same bowl. Add 3 cans of water from the paste can, and ½ can water from the puree can. Add some salt and pepper, and stir to incorporate all ingredients.

Pour this mixture over the top of the cabbage rolls.

Bring covered pot to a boil, lower heat and simmer for at least 3 hours.