Kraut Bierocks – German Cabbage Burgers -Part 2

By : DishinandDishes | 3 Comments | On : July 2, 2009 | Category : Uncategorized

As promised, Part 2 of my old family recipe for Kraut Bierocks (pronounced Krowt Beer-ocks), or German cabbage burgers.  Yesterday we made the quick version using crescent roll dough.

Today we’ll do the genuine recipe for the dough pockets.  To see how to make the meat and cabbage filling, look here.

Today’s post features Mr. Wonderful.  Pastry extraordinaire, master dough roller, and all around good guy.

I just love him.  There’s just something really wonderful about a man who can roll out dough….as in, I don’t have to!

If I ever need dough rolled, he’s the man and I adore him for having that capability that I obviously lack.

Let’s get started, shall we?

One recipe will make 12 Kraut Bierocks.  I halved this recipe, due to using some of my filling to make the quick version. I am going to give you the full version in measurements, but mine may not appear correct in the pictures.

Add 2 cups of warm water to a large bowl.  We need the water warm to activate the yeast.

Take one packet of yeast and sprinkle it over top of the warm water and give it a little whisk.

This needs to set for 5 minutes.  So while you’re waiting….

In another bowl measure out 6 1/2 cups of flour.

Add 2 Tablespoons of sugar.

And also, add 2 teaspoons of salt.

Give your dry ingredients a whisk to mix them up real good.

Add 1/3 cup of room temperature butter to your dry mix.

Your butter will need to be room temperature and you’re gonna have to get your fingers messy on this one.  Reach into the bowl with your hands and begin to smoosh the butter into the flour with your fingers.

Keeping smooshing.  Until the butter mixes into the flour and becomes small crumbs.

And just in case you’re wondering, smoosh is a word…I just made it up!

Go ahead and wash off your hands, but don’t get too excited, you’re going to get them dirty again real soon!

Now you’re going to add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients.  Dump the dry ingredients into your water/yeast mixture.

Mix it with a strong spoon or spatula.

When you’ve mixed all you think you can with the spoon, get ready to dirty up your hands again.  Use your hands to push the dough around in the bowl and get all the flour mixture into the lump of dough.

You want to get all the dough and flour off the side of the bowl.

Lightly flour your counter or cutting board.

Then you want to knead your dough for several minutes by folding it over on itself and push it down with your palms.  I was alone making these and couldn’t really juggle both hands kneading and the camera, but really get in there with both hands and fold and press.

When you have your dough nicely worked through and it’s in a smooth ball, take a paper towel, put some canola or vegetable oil on it, and rub it around the inside of your bowl.  Plop your dough into the bowl, and turn it over once to coat the other side.  This is a very light coating of oil, not heavy.

Take a tea towel or light towel, and cover your bowl.    Put it in a warm non-drafty place for about an hour.

Go give yourself a manicure, pedicure, facial or if your prefer,  go watch your favorite one-hour reality tv show.  If you’re a man, please make it the Speed Channel or the Fishing Channel like my husband does, just to reassure yourself that you’re still full of testosterone.

Come back in one hour, and uncover your dough.  It should have swelled up and almost doubled in size.

Before                                                                           After

Again, lightly flour a cutting board or your counter.

Take your dough out of the bowl and put it on your floured board.

Enter Mr. Wonderful.

If you have a Mr. Wonderful, have him roll your dough out into a rectangle that measures 15 inches by 10 inches and about 1/2 thick.  You would do two of these rectangles by dividing your dough in half but remember, I’m halving this recipe.

If you don’t have a Mr. Wonderful,  you’ll have to roll it yourself .  I hope you don’t get as frustrated as I do when rolling dough.

Try to square off your dough at the ends and sides.  Mr. Wonderful is also Mr. Smartypants, and used a ruler.

Once you get your dough to the proper size, you can cut it into six, 5 inch by 5 inch squares.  A pizza cutter worked great for this.  First, cut straight down the center.

Now cut 3 even squares going across the other direction.  Again, if you’re a perfectionist, you can measure, if not, just try to make them reasonably even.

Your corners may be a little round, but that’s okay.  Do the same for your second rectangle of dough.  Put your dough squares on 2 large baking sheets, with space in between each dough square.

Take a large spoonful of your fillling, and put it in the center of your dough square.

Begin with opposite corners.  Draw the opposite corners together and give them a little pinch to stay.

Now take the other two opposite corners and pinch them up to the first two.

Begin pinching to seal all the seams on top of the pillow.

When you’re done, you should see no filling peeking out.

Continue doing the same to your other pillows.  When you’re done, flip them over, with some space in between them so that the seams now face downward.

Aren’t they just …too….adorably yummy looking?

Let them sit on your cookie sheet for 15 minutes to rise a bit.

Pop them into a 400º oven for about 15 minutes. They should be nice and golden brown when they’re ready to take out of the oven.

Once you have removed them from oven, you’ll need to brush them with a little melted butter.

I know, I know, butter,  calories – fat- DELICIOUS!  Just look at these wonderful little pockets.

We have always loved this recipe in our family.  I hope you add it to your list of fun things to make with your family!