What is the difference between savoy cabbage rolls and cabbage rolls?

Cabbage rolls are usually made from white cabbage, savoy cabbage rolls from savoy cabbage. Savoy cabbage is more tender and has a somewhat more delicate flavor. The ground meat filling is similar for both – more about it on Wikipedia.

Can I make savoy cabbage rolls ahead?

Yes, and it's worth it: the savoy cabbage rolls taste almost even better the next day. It's best to make a few extra right away and gently reheat the rolls in the sauce.

How do the savoy cabbage leaves stay intact when rolling?

Briefly blanch the leaves in salted water, then they become soft and are easy to roll. You can shave the thick center rib flat so it doesn't break.

What goes well with savoy cabbage rolls?

Boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes – and lots of sauce. You'll find more hearty dishes for cold days among my main dishes.

How long do savoy cabbage rolls keep in the fridge?

Store the cabbage rolls together with the sauce in a sealed container. That way they keep in the fridge for 2–3 days. Reheat them slowly in a pot or covered in the oven until hot all the way through.

Can I freeze savoy cabbage rolls?

Yes, savoy cabbage rolls freeze beautifully. Freeze them in portions with some sauce in freezer containers. They keep for about 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, then reheat them slowly.

Savoy Cabbage Rolls Like Grandma's

First, prepare the savoy cabbage leaves for the rolls. To do this, bring a large pot of water with a little salt to a boil.
Carefully peel large leaves off 1 large savoy cabbage. You need 2–3 leaves per roll. Work gently so that they don’t tear or get holes.
Gradually add approx. 4–6 leaves at a time to the boiling water and blanch for 2 min.
Remove the leaves with a ladle, rinse them in cold water and carefully pat them dry.
When all the large leaves have been blanched, save 500 ml of the cooking water for the sauce later.
Halve the remaining savoy cabbage, remove the core, cut it into strips approx. 1.5 cm thick and then into large pieces. Set aside for later.
Cut the stem out of the blanched savoy cabbage leaves and set them aside.
For the ground meat filling, cut the 2 small onions into small pieces.
Heat a little vegetable oil in a small pan and sweat the onions over medium heat for approx. 5 min until soft.
In the meantime, pick the leaves off 3 sprigs parsley and 2 sprigs thyme and chop them finely.
At the end of the cooking time, add the chopped herbs to the onions and toss briefly.
Set the pan aside and let the onions cool a little.
Put 900 g ground pork in a bowl with 1 egg, 2 egg yolks, 3 tbsp breadcrumbs and the herb and onion mixture, mix into an even mixture and season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg. The ground meat mixture should still be slightly moist.
For each roll, lay 2–3 of the prepared savoy cabbage leaves on a board, overlapping and slightly offset. It’s best to combine one large and one smaller leaf so that all the rolls end up about the same size. Then shape some of the ground meat mixture (approx. 110 g) into an oblong patty and place it on the lower third of the leaves.
Fold up the bottom part of the leaves, fold in the sides and roll up the roll.
Tie the roll up with kitchen twine like a little package.
Make the remaining rolls the same way and set them aside.
Heat 1 tbsp clarified butter in a large roasting pan and sear the wrapped savoy cabbage rolls for 2 – 3 minutes on each side.
In the meantime, clean 1 bunch soup greens and cut into medium-sized pieces.
After searing, set the rolls aside, add 1 tbsp clarified butter to the roasting pan and fry the soup greens until light brown.
Deglaze with 100 ml white wine and let it reduce a little.
Add the 500 ml of cooking water from the blanched savoy cabbage, 500 ml veal stock or chicken stock, 1 bay leaf and some caraway seeds and bring to a boil.
Add the seared rolls to the sauce in the roasting pan, turn down the temperature and braise the savoy cabbage rolls over low heat with the lid on for 40 min until done.
While braising, baste the rolls with the sauce now and then and turn them once after approx. 20 min.
For the savoy cabbage side dish, finely chop 1 onion and dice the 100 g bacon.
Fry the bacon in a pan (add a little clarified butter if needed), add the onions and braise briefly.
Add the prepared savoy cabbage pieces and steam them with the lid on for approx. 10 min until “al dente”. Stir now and then.
At the end, add 1 tbsp white wine vinegar and, to taste, a splash of heavy cream.
Season with salt, pepper, a little ground caraway and cayenne pepper.
Keep the braised rolls warm and pour the sauce through a sieve.
Add 100 ml heavy cream to the sauce, bring to a boil, let it reduce a little and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the rolls with the savoy cabbage and the sauce. Boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes go perfectly with them.

Savoy Cabbage Rolls (German Wirsingrouladen)