Golumpki are Polish cabbage rolls stuffed with beef and rice. It’s pronounced “go-womp-key.” I’m not sure what that “L’s” doing in there. I think it’s Polish people’s way of fishing out the phonies. Now you know.

This recipe comes from my Mom, who’s actually Italian, but she got it from my Grandpap on my Dad’s side, who was 100% Polish. They passed on the Polish recipes to her when my folks got married because cooking is not one of my Dad’s talents.

There’s no making a small batch of golumpki. This recipe makes 6-7 dozen. Don’t think about halving it. If you’re going to take the effort to make them, make them. It’s tradition to cook them with your family, so it’s not as much work. I make them with my Mom and we freeze them for easy meals. My Grandpap was one of 15 kids, so they never had to deal with leftovers.

RECIPE
3-4 heads of cabbage
2 1/2 c rice
5 lbs ground meat
5 eggs
1 1/2 c breadcrumbs
2 onions, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb bacon, cut into thin strips
1-2 T olive oil
1 c diced tomatoes (+ 1/2 c for garnish)
1 T parsley
salt and pepper
1 tsp worcestershire

I have to warn you. Cabbage doesn’t smell the best when you’re cooking it. I think the bacon and sautéd onions disguise the smell, but my roommate isn’t convinced. She says it smells like you’re covering up day-old farts. I don’t recommend making golumpki for a first date, or any date really. It’s a family meal.

1. Cook the rice in 3 3/4 c water, and then set aside.
2. Clean the cabbage and remove the core from the bottom, but keep the cabbage whole.
3. Boil the cabbage in salted water. As the leaves become soft, carefully remove them and set aside. It takes a while to get through a whole head, maybe 45 min, depending on how many heads you can fit in your pot. Don’t get rid of the cabbage water when you’re done! You’ll need it for later.
4. Meanwhile render the bacon in a little oil.
5. Remove the bacon when crispy and saute the onions in the bacon fat. After a few minutes add the garlic and then set aside.
6. In a large bowl (or 2) combine the ground meat, eggs, rice, onions, bacon, garlic, parsley, worcestershire, breadcrumbs and 1 c tomatoes. My Grandpap would use the tomatoes right out of his garden.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Take a cabbage leaf, and slice off the back of the steam, so it’s smooth.
9. Pack a handful of meat in your hands and place inside the cabbage leaf. Fold the ends of the leaf onto the meat and then tuck and roll.
10. Place them in a casserole pan. It’s ok to stack.
11. When finished rolling the meat, pour some cabbage water into the dish about 3/4 the way up and top with the remaining tomatoes (they won’t cover the whole thing).
12. Cover and bake at 350 for 1-1 1/2 hrs, until cooked through. Cut one open if you’re unsure.

We serve them with mashed potatoes, but you can eat them on their own, too.