Cut and remove about 1 inch from the bottom of the head of cabbage.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, place the entire head of cabbage into the pot of boiling water and boil for 4-5 minutes or until the leaves peel easily and are pliable.
Remove the boiled head of cabbage from the pot and place on a dish towel to let drain. Once cool to the touch, peel 12 cabbage leaves from the head, being careful not to tear them.
Note: If you opt to peel the leaves straight off without par-boiling the head, you’ll still need to boil them for 1-2 minutes before filling and rolling
MAKE THE MEAT MIXTURE
Add all filling ingredients to a large bowl. Mash the ingredients together using a potato masher until well combined.
ROLL THEM UP
Place one cabbage leaf on a cutting board. Cut a V-shaped incision at the base of each leaf to remove the bottom 1-2 inches of the tough rib. This makes it MUCH easier to roll up!
Add in about 3-4 tablespoons of the filling mixture into each leaf.
Fold the right side of the leaf over the filling.
Do the same with the left side.
Starting at the base, begin rolling the cabbage leaf up