Kraut Burger

I know you are already sitting there with your head cocked to the side, thanking..."What the heck is THAT"?

Here is the definition per Wikipedia:

A runza (also called a bierock, fleischkuche or Kraut Pirok) is a yeast dough bread pocket with a filling consisting of beef, pork, cabbage orsauerkraut, onions, and seasonings. They are baked in various shapes such as a half-moon, rectangle, round (bun), square, or triangle. In Nebraska, the runza is usually baked in a rectangular shape. The bierocks of Kansas, on the other hand, are generally baked in the shape of a bun.

I have heard of them called "Kraut Burgers" recently. The sandwich originated in Russia during the 1800s and spread to Germany before appearing in the United States. The term bierock comes from the Russian word pirogi or pirozhki and is the term for any food consisting of a savory filling stuffed dough. The recipe was spread throughout the United States by the Volga Germans and can be found in North and South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas and Nebraska. The term "runza" is registered as a trademark in the United States by Nebraska-based Runza Restaurants

In Nebraska "Runza" is a trademarked fast food chain.  They are delicious.  Well my husband hates them but tonight he loved mine.  He informed me they almost tasted like a White Castle Burger. What?  Anyway, my opinion is, homemade bread makes all the difference.  This is a recipe I got from my mom. Let's get moving on gettin'er done.

Bread Dough for Kraut Burgers
 

5-6 cups of flour

2 pkg's dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups hot water

1/2 cup butter softened

2 eggs

Combine 2 cups flour, yeast and sugar.  Put into stand mixer fitted with a dough hook  and combine completely.  Add butter and hot water, mix 2 minutes and add eggs and 1 more cup of flour.  Let mix for 2 minutes and add remaining 2 cups of flour, 1 at a time.  I had to end up using an extra 1/2 cup.  Let knead for 3 minutes or until your dough is a nice soft dough, not sticky.  Turn out into a bowl sprayed with nonstick spray or vegetable oil and let rise 45 minutes.  While it is raising, let's get to work on the filling!

Filling:

2 lbs ground beef

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup onion, minced FINE  

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup beef stock

2 tbsp butter

American Cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in a large pot, add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. (Even if you omit the onions, add the butter.) Add in ground beef and cook until browned and broken up well.  Add Worcestershire sauce and mix thoroughly.  Dump in cabbage (it will wilt a lot) and then mix again. 

Pour in stock and put the lid on and cook for 20 minutes on low stirring occasionally. 

Divide dough into 2 parts.  Roll each section out and cut into 6 pieces.  Put a piece of cheese in the middle (optional) and add as much filling as you can fit on! Bring all the corners to the middle and seal by pinching.
 

Flip over and put onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.   You should get 12 out of this batch of dough and filling.   When you are finished with all of them let them rise for 30-45 minutes.  Brush them with an egg wash or spray with nonstick cooking spray for a nice color.  Bake for 20-25 minutes

We made some round, made some long, just like the real Runza restaurant. That of course was my husband's idea because ya know, husbands get what they want right?  Ok mine does (lovey gushy eyes)  

I hope you enjoy these; I always have to have mine with ketchup!

 

Your "praying I didn't infringe on any copyright crap" chefwannabe

Against my better judgment, I made a casserole.

I know, can you believe it?  
 

Let me explain to my new readers...I loathe casseroles.  Most casseroles look like a dogs dinner to me and are about as unappetizing to look at as such.  I have never been big on casseroles and even challenged some friends to go no a 30 day NO CASSEROLE challenge!  But my sister wanted this casserole, that I had eaten once before so I thought heck, in order to please everyone, I will need to resign myself to making an occassional casserole.

That being said, the casserole I made is called a "Runza Casserole" which is a whole other explaination in itself.  If your not from the midwest,  Wiki has this to say about the "Runza".

 A runza (also called a bierock, fleischkucheor Kraut Pirok) is a yeast dough bread pocket with a filling consisting of beef, pork, cabbage, or sauerkraut, onions, and seasonings. They are baked in various shapes such as a half-moon, rectangle, round (bun), square, or triangle. In Nebraska, the runza is usually baked in a rectangular shape. The bierocks o Kansas, on the other hand, are generally baked in the shape of a bun. 

 

We have a fastfood chain here in Nebraska called, "Runza".  It is in fact exactly what it says above.  I have observed that people love them or hate them, there is no inbetween.  My husband, hates them, I love them.  I order a runza with cheese and he orders mini corndogs.  Go figure.  He has all kinds of jokes about the name.  Yes, insert a wifely eye roll here.  

These were brought down to the midwest from Canada by the Germans and the rest as they say, is history.  My recipe is just a take on the idea of the Runza.  I try not to use lots of cream soups and such but this recipe is just a total departure from my norm.  I am just going to close my eyes and type and when its over, I will pretend it never happened!  OK, OK, in all seriousness I must admit to enjoying this casserole regardless of its semi-home made nature which bring me to thoughts of Sandra Lee from the food network and then I almost have to delete the entire blog before it's even started.  

Runza Casserole

 (makes approx a 9x9 casserole)

1 lb ground beef

1 reg size back of shredded cabbage with carrots

1 med onion-chopped fine

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 8oz can of crescent rolls

8 slices of swiss cheese (may substitute cheese of choice)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown hamburger, and onion together.  Salt liberally, and pepper.  When onions are transluscent and meat is browned, drain and put back in skillet.  Add bag of shredded cabbage and carrots and let cook together for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add cream of mushroom soup, turn off and set mixture aside.  Take half of your crescent rolls and lay in the bottom of greased or sprayed casserole dish.  You can use a rolling pin or just press them out to fit in the pan, make sure to seal up perforations.  Add mixture on top of pressed out crescent rolls.  Lay slices of cheese covering all of the mixture, then put remaining crescents on top.  I find it easier to use a rolling pin and roll out the top layer out and then lay it on top.

Bake @ 350 for approximately 35-45 minutes, until top crust is golden brown.  

So here it is, a casserole, a RUNZA casserole.  It even includes ONIONS!  Let me know if you try it, or if you changed the cheese up!

Your, "I'm headed to my happy place where casseroles don't exist" chefwannabe

Chris