Kraut Runzas Recipes

BIEROCKS OR RUNZAS

Steps:

• Bloom the yeast in the warm water for 10 minutes, then mix all the remaining dough incredient together in a bowl. Knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes, then cover and let rest 1 hour.
• Make the filling. Heat the butter in a large pan and cook the cabbage, sauerkraut and onions over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in the thyme, mustard, vinegar and beer and simmer until the liquid is all gone. Turn off the heat, and, when this is cool, mix well with the uncooked meat. Set in the fridge.
• After the first hour has elapsed, punch down the dough, knead a few more times, then roll into a ball, cover and let sit another hour.
• When the dough has about 30 minutes to go, take the filling out of the fridge. It is important that it goes into the bierock at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking sheet well.
• Cut the dough into eight pieces. Set the pieces you are not working on under plastic wrap or a damp towel. Divide the filling into eight parts, too.
• Roll a piece of dough into a ball, then flatten it to about 1/3 of an inch thick. Roll the outer inch of the dough thinner, to about ¼ inch thick or even thinner if you can - this makes what will become the bottom of the pastry match better with the top. Add some filling and bring the dough up all around it to seal. Set the dough seam side down on a floured surface and gently shape it into a flattened ball with your hands. Set on the greased baking sheet and repeat with the other pieces of dough.
• When all your bierocks are made and on the sheet, paint them all with egg and sprinkle with the seeds, plus a little more salt.
• Bake for 25 minutes, and cool a bit before serving. These are excellent at room temperature, too.

RUNZAS

Steps:

• Heat milk, water and butter together until the mixture is lukewarm; pour into electric mixer.
• Add rye flour, sugar, yeast and salt and mix.
• Beat in eggs for three minutes.
• Blend in enough white flour, about 2 1/2 cups, to make a soft dough.
• Let rise in a warm place, covered, about one hour, until doubled in bulk.
• Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until beef is brown.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Roll out the dough and cut into eight squares of equal size, about 1/4- to 1/8-inch thick.
• Divide the filling into eight portions and place a portion of filling in the center of each square.
• Take the corners of each square and fold in to center to make an envelope, pressing edges together.
• Place the runzas on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

KRAUT RUNZA

Steps:

• Saute onion in a bit of oil until just translucent. Add hamburger and saute until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Drain away the grease, and return to the pan. Cover the mixture with the shredded cabbage and cook until the cabbage is done. Stir occasionally. This could take about 45 minutes or so.
• Using an egg-dough recipe, roll small balls of dough thin to make a 5×5 square. Put about 1/2 cup of cabbage mixture in center of square and seal closed. (See note below). Place seal side down on a parchment lined baking sheet (or a lightly greased sheet). Allow these to sit, covered lightly with a tea towel, for about 20 minutes - so the dough can rise for the second time.
• Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 or until lightly golden brown.
• A side note: Use a slotted spoon or similar when filling the dough to allow the cabbage/hamburger mix to be dry'ish. You don't want these "juicy" or the bottom of the roll will be doughy and wet and not cook properly.

KRAUT RUNZAS

Steps:

• Lay foil out on counter (enough to hold 48 rolls), spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place frozen rolls on foil & cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. (Dough will stick if not sprayed.) Let rise 3-4 hrs. Brown ground chuck in large pan. Add kraut. Let sit to incorporate flavors until rolls rise. Cover 2 cookie sheets with foil & spray with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Using (2) raised rolls, roll into a circle on a floured piece of foil, place a heaping straining ladle of meat mixture in center of dough, fold up sides & place upside down on a cookie sheet. Each cookie sheet will hold (6). Brush with melted butter & sprinkle with salt. Let rise about 20-25 min. ONLY BAKE 1 SHEET AT A TIME!
• When you put the 1st sheet in to bake, fill 2nd sheet, it should be ready to put in oven when 1st sheet is done. Bake 25 min, rotate pan and bake 5 min. longer or until browned. Remove to foil & brush w/melted butter. (Re-use cookie sheets, no need to change foil or spray.)

NEBRASKA RUNZAS

Steps:

• Brown hamburger and onion, drain and add kraut and caraway seed.
• Cook about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Divide dough into 8 parts.
• Roll out each and fill Pinch dough together.
• Place seam side down on lightly greased baking sheet.
• Let raise 20 minutes.
• Bake 15 mins at 350.
• Brush with soften butter.