Grandma's Cabbage Rolls

"Where I'm from, Cabbage Rolls are a staple for family dinners and are often served at special occasions like weddings and other celebrations.  I have eaten them my whole life and I never get tired of them.  The very best Cabbage Rolls I've ever had are made by my Grandma.  She makes them for our whole family often and my husband and I love when she does!  Now I am sharing her delicious recipe with you." 

2 pounds of ground beef, uncooked*

2 pounds of ground pork or 2-(16 ounce) packages of Jimmy Dean Sausage, original or sage, uncooked*

1 bag of prepared Uncle Ben's Boil-in-Bag Rice (from 4-bag package, prepared according to package directions) 

1 cup water

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 Tablespoons dried minced onion

2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes

1 large head of green cabbage

1 (32 ounce) jar of sauerkraut, drained

1 (10-3/4 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

1 (15 ounce) can of tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix uncooked ground beef and sausage until completely combined.  Add cooked rice, water, eggs, salt, pepper, chicken bouillon granules, garlic salt,  dried minced onion and dried parsley flakes and mix well; set aside. 

Add head of cabbage to a large pot of boiling water.  Boil until leaves begin to separate, about 10 minutes.  Remove cabbage from the water, pull each leaf off of the head and cut out the core from each leaf.  Using some of the large outer leaves cover the bottom of a large roasting pan (18 inch pan with lid).  Form meat mixture into large meatballs and roll up in remaining cabbage leaves, cutting large cabbage leaves in half.  Place cabbage rolls, seam side down, in the roaster.  If any cabbage is left after all of the meat mixture is used, chop it and put it on top of cabbage rolls.  Add just enough water to the roasting pan to cover the cabbage rolls (about 2 inches of water).  Cover roaster with lid and bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours.  Remove from the oven and place drained sauerkraut over cabbage rolls.  Combine tomato soup and tomato sauce and pour over sauerkraut.  Put lid back on and return roaster to oven for 1 hour.  Enjoy!

*NOTE:  Instead of using the combination of ground beef and pork, you can use all pork.

TIP:  We love to serve with boiled potatoes and French bread for a delicious meal.