Step 1

Carefully remove the cabbage leaves from the head trying to keep them as intact as possible. Remove any stem or core parts from the leaves (Your end goal is to have large pieces of cabbage leaves with no hard parts or stems).

Step 2

In a small saucepan add the rice and 1 1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Take off the heat and let rest 15 minutes. DO NOT REMOVE THE LID during any of this process.

Step 3

Place cabbage leaves in a large pot with 1/4 tsp salt and just enough water to cover the cabbage. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until cabbage is tender. Take off the heat and drain the cabbage, set aside.

Step 4

In a dutch oven or large pan cook the bacon, onion and garlic over medium heat until onion begins to brown and bacon begins to crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the pork, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and paprika and cook until pork is cooked, stirring often, breaking up the ground pork and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any stuck on bits, about 6 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5

Rub the butter all over the bottom and sides of a 8x8 baking dish and preheat the oven to 400°F.

Step 6

Place 1/3 of the cabbage on the bottom of the dish then half the rice then half the pork. Place half the remaining cabbage on the pork and then spread half the sour cream on the cabbage. Then add the remaining rice then the remaining pork then the remaining cabbage and finally spread the remaining sour cream on top.

Step 7

Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 25 minutes or until edges start to brown.

Step 8

Remove from the oven and allow to rest 15 minutes before serving.