Cabbage Rolls

Prep Time: 1 Hour
Grill Time: 2 Hours
Total Time: 3 Hours

Ingredients

Sauce

• 2 15 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic crushed/grated
• 3 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. italian seasoning

Cabbage Rolls

• 1 large green cabbage
• 2 lbs. ground turkey, but you could use lean beef, pork or chicken if you prefer
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 hot pepper, chopped - anything from jalapeño to scotch bonnet, your preference
• 3 cloves garlic, minced/grated
• 2 tsp. italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of whole grain rice (uncooked)

Method

1. Start by making the sauce. In a large pot, combine the crushed tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, cider vinegar, and italian seasoning. Bring that all to a simmer while you prepare the rolls.
2. Cook your rice to al dente as well. Set aside and allow it to cool enough to handle.
3. Bring a large, deep pot of water to the boil. Stick a heavy duty fork, like the one from a carving or barbecue set, into the bottom of your cabbage. Lower the cabbage into the pot of whater and let the outside blanch for a minute or two. Prepare a bath of ice water for the leaves.
4. When the cabbage leaves on top start to become translucent, they're ready. Use a paring knife to cut the first cabbage leaf away from the bottom of the cabbage and peel it away from the head. Careful because this is HOT!
5. Place the cabbage back into the pot, and your freed leaf into the icewater bath. Then drain it on paper towel or in a colendar. Repeat this process with the rest of the cabbage. You will get between 16 to 20 leaves, if not more.
6. Preheat the grill to 375°F and prepare for indirect grilling.

7. In a large bowl, combine the meat, rice, garlic, onion, peppers, and seasonings (though you can totally make this veggetarian by forgoing the meat and doubling the rice). Scoop handfulls of the meat mixture, approximatelly 1/2 to 2/3 cup per leaf, and roll the cabbage leaf around the filling from the top of the cabbage leaf towards the stem end. You can either cut off the stem end, or leave it, that is up to your preference.
8. Place each folded cabbage roll into a greased baking dish, making sure not to crowd them. When you have used up all of the filling and/or all of the leaves, cover them with 3/4 of the tomato sauce that you made. (Save some for serving)

9. Grill over indirect heat for 2 hours, or until they reach at least 140°F internally.
10. Serve immediately with extra sauce, and maybe some warm crusty bread with butter.