Irish-American Thanksgiving "Galumpties"
(guh-LUMP-teez)
The New York Crucible (Corned Beef and the Irish-American Synthesis)
Galumpties are the beautiful, delicious offspring of the American melting pot. When Irish immigrants settled in the tenements of New York and Philly, they lived cheek by jowl with Eastern Europeans and Jewish deli owners. They tasted Polish stuffed cabbage, brought the technique back to their own kitchens, and loaded the filling with thick-cut deli corned beef and a hit of Worcestershire. The true grandmother's secret, though, is the sauce: a simple crushed tomato base cut with the bright, sharp acid of fresh-squeezed lemon to balance the rich meat. It’s an unfussy, weeknight-friendly masterclass in diaspora cooking that smells exactly like a first-generation childhood.
Before you start
Use leftover or pre-cooked minute rice.
To make this genuinely weeknight friendly and avoid the risk of crunchy, undercooked grains inside the beef matrix, rely on rice you've already cooked.
Ingredients
- green or Savoy cabbage1 large
- lean ground beef1/2 lb
- cooked corned beef1/2 lb
- white rice1 cup
- yellow onion1 med
- garlic2 clove
- egg1 large
- dried thyme1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- crushed tomatoes28 oz
- lemon1 large
- Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp
- brown sugar2 tbsp
- olive oil1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Blanch the cabbage in boiling salted water to soften the leaves for rolling.
Submerge the cored head of cabbage in a large pot of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes until the outer leaves turn bright green and loosen. Use tongs to gently peel off 10 to 12 large leaves and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate.
- 02
Remove the thickest part of the stem to prevent the cabbage from snapping.
Once the leaves are cool enough to handle, lay them flat on a cutting board and cut a small "V" shape at the bottom base of each leaf to remove the rigid, fibrous rib.
- 03
Mix the meats, rice, and aromatics into a cohesive filling.
In a large mixing bowl, use your hands to thoroughly combine the ground beef, chopped corned beef, cooked rice, diced onion, minced garlic, beaten egg, thyme, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into small, oblong meatballs about one third of a cup each.
- 04
Roll the meatballs tightly inside the prepared cabbage leaves.
Lay a cabbage leaf flat, place an oblong meatball near the bottom V-cut, fold the bottom edge up over the meat, tuck the two sides inward like an envelope, and roll it forward tightly. Secure the seam with a single wooden toothpick if the leaves are being stubborn.
- 05
Whisk together the sweet, acidic tomato sauce.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, combine the crushed tomatoes, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and olive oil. Pour about half a cup of this sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
- 06
Nestle the cabbage rolls into the dish and bake tightly covered.
Place the Galumpties seam-side down in the casserole dish and pour the remaining tomato-lemon sauce evenly over the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil to trap the steam and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the cabbage is fork-tender and the beef is completely cooked through. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Watch the salt levels on your corned beef.
Deli corned beef is already heavily cured and salted. Keep this in mind when seasoning the ground beef mixture, as you won't need as much salt as a traditional meatball.
Don't skip the fresh lemon.
The citric acid is the historical secret weapon of this dish. It cuts through the heavy starch and fat, bringing balance to an otherwise incredibly rich plate.
From Cook Irish-American Food.