The Perfect Halupki

I have to include my family’s halupki recipe here, it only makes sense being raised in a Ukrainian/Hungarian home. Growing up we had halupkis often, my father loved them. In fact, my father would go to our local church bazaars to get a halupki as often as he could. I am happy to share my family’s recipe with you and again I am sharing this with you exactly how it was passed down to me.

I have tried cheating my way through halupki making.  I have learned it’s a waste of time. I have tried using boil in the bag rice, skimping by not adding the ground pork and feeling lazy and using a small size pot to cook the cabbage. Take it from me, it’s not worth it. All the work that goes into halupki making should result in a GOOD halupki.

Before I list the ingredients I want to let you know a  few secrets. The cabbage you use makes a huge difference. Please be picky about the head you use. I have tried using cabbage from the big grocery chains but found the cabbage from smaller produce stores taste so much better.

A few more tips to creating the perfect halupki:

*It is best to use the biggest pot you own to cook the cabbage

*Squeezing the whole tomatoes please be careful they squirt A LOT and I usually don’t think of this and end up covered in the tomato juice

Ingredients

2 heads of cabbage

One pound long grain white rice

Salt to taste

One pound of ground beef

1/4 pound ground pork

1 large onion

3 tablespoons butter

can of diced tomatoes

large can of whole tomatoes

can of tomato soup/1 can of water

Paprika

 

Directions

Cut the bottom cord off the cabbage

Boil in water one head at a time

Bring to a boil, then simmer, then carefully peel the cabbage leaves off

Be patient. Cooking cabbage takes time (about 25 minutes)

Cover the rice with just enough water to cover the rice

Season with salt prior to cooking rice

Low heat once it is boiling. Cook for 10 minutes turn off heat

Cover the pot while simmering

Remember, once the water begins to boil reduce heat, cover and simmer for only 10 minutes

In a large bowl mix the hamburger and 1/4 pound of ground pork

DO NOT COOK

Saute the onion in the butter for several minutes

Pour the onion/butter mixture into the rice and mix with meat mixture

Blend thoroughly

Remove any thick cords from cabbage

Roll and fold then roll more. Kind of like a burrito

Add unused cabbage leaves to bottom of pot

Place opening side face down. Add butter on each halupki and season with paprika

Keep layering

In a medium size bowl mix together the diced tomatoes, large can of whole tomatoes (squeeze the whole tomatoes) can of tomato soup and can of water

Do Not Add this liquid mixture until you are about to bake

Cover with foil

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes

Reduce to 350 and bake for one and half hours more

**Family Secret – add some evaporated milk to the halupkis when serving for a creamy base