In roasting pan, pour tomato juice and kraut and mix together. Add a small amount of crushed pepper to add a little “kick” if desired. Stir.
Mix together ground pork, egg, rice, salt, garlic and onion. The only mandatory ingredient is the pork. All other items can be added according to the preferences of the cook. I use ALL these ingredients! I get the best texture using one egg per 1-2 lbs of pork. However, the egg can be left out if there are allergies.
Scoop out the stem from the cabbage and carefully separate leaves. Large leaves may be cut in half to make two smaller cabbage rolls. (Suggestion: Cabbage is usually sold by the pound. When selecting the cabbage from the produce department, snag any loose leaves that you find that are in good condition. You may even find enough loose leaves so that you don’t need to purchase an entire head. This reduces the most labor-intensive step J).
Boil leaves for 1-2 minutes to soften them. Remove from water and set aside. Fill each leaf, wrap, and immerse in the juice/kraut mixture. You do not need strings or toothpicks (way too much trouble!) Cover pan with lid and bake in 375 degree oven for approximately two hours.
Note: You can also make “mock” cabbage rolls by making over sized meatballs out of of the meat mixture and skipping the cabbage leaves altogether. Follow the rest of the recipe.