Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

PREPARE THE INGREDIENTS:

1. Parboil the rice by cooking rice in salted boiling water for 4 minutes; drain. Set aside.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion in the melted butter just until tender (about 7-10 minutes). Set aside.
3. In a large Dutch oven, cook chopped bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the bacon grease in the pot.
4. Steam cabbage in the microwave by placing the cabbage in a pan with about 2 inches of water. Cook for a total of about 10-12 minutes or until tender. I like to do this in increments, every few minutes removing the outer cabbage leaves as they become soft.

ASSEMBLE THE ROLLS:

1. In a large bowl, stir together ground meat, parboiled rice, sautéed onion, breadcrumbs, beef broth, and parsley. Add salt and pepper and up to 1 tablespoon of sugar, if desired. The mixture should be very moist.
2. Place a steamed cabbage leaf on a cutting board. Trim a little bit of the core off of the leaf to make it easier to roll. Place about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture at the core end of the cabbage leaf. Start to roll, fold in each side, and then continue rolling to seal. You can use toothpicks to secure the rolls if you like, but it’s not necessary. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
3. Place the stuffed cabbage rolls seam-side down in the Dutch oven that has bacon grease in the bottom. Stack the rolls, as necessary, and then season with salt and pepper over top.

COOK THE ROLLS:

1. Spread condensed soup over the top, cover, and cook over very low heat for 1 ½ - 2 hours.
2. Garnish the stuffed cabbage leaves with the reserved cooked, crumbled bacon and fresh parsley, if desired, just before serving.