Recipe(tried): Kraut studel/runza/bierock - 13 recipes and info

KRAUT STRUDELS
Also known as BIEROCKS or RUNZAS or KRAUT BURGERS or CABBAGE BURGERS or KRAUT PIROK or KRAUT GEFILTE or KRAUT BROT or PIEROGS or KRAUTKOCHE or BERROCKS and a number of other names depending on the community and family.

This dish is distinct from German krautstrudel, which is generally a roulade using pastry that has been stretched paper thin and wrapped around cabbage filling. The Volga version uses any yeast bread dough pocket, filled with onion, cabbage, and beef, shaped differently depending on each community. Seasong is generally very minimal- garlic, salt, pepper, sometimes a spice or two added, particularly caraway, sometimes another seasoning agent like Worchestershire sauce but that is particularly not traditional. Sometimes sauerkraut/fermented cabbage is included in the filling, sometimes cheese. There are as many iterations as there are Volga German families, and admirers of the cuisine!

SEE FOR INFORMATION:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bierock
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runza
What's Cooking America - Runza Sandwich History
http://www.denverpost.com/browning/ci_11979685
-- Ancestry.com has some lively discussions on German Volga cuisine that is worth taking a look at

And restaurants well known for serving them:
https://www.runza.com
Cozy Cows - What's a Krautburger?
http://www.krautburger.com/

---

RECIPES:

BASIC KRAUT STRUDEL

1 head of cabbage, cored and shredded
1 large white onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Minced garlic to taste
1 lb of ground beef

Saute the cabbage, onion and salt and pepper in a lightly oiled pan. Stir frequently and don't let the ingredients stick to the pan.

Separately brown the ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper and the minced garlic.

Make your own bread dough.

After bread dough has raised, roll on a floured board to 1/16 of an inch. Cut into 16 squares.

Drain the beef and cabbage mixtures. Combine and mix the ground beef with the cabbage mixture.

Place approximately 1/4 cup of the mixture onto the square of dough. Bring the opposite corners and pinch together to seal the pocket. Place scaled side down into greased baking pan. Let rise for 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until lightly brown. Brush with melted butter after removing from the pan.

---

KRAUTSTRUDEL
Source; Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish Germanfest Fasching Recipes 2014 cookbook
Makes 24

2 pounds ground beef
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Potato dough (recipe follows) or frozen bread dough, thawed
Egg wash (egg and a little water)

Brown the ground beef.

Saute onion and cabbage until tender. Combine the cooked meat, onion, cabbage and seasonings.

Roll out the potato dough (or thawed dough). Cut in 5-inch squares. The dough needs to be fairly thin.

Place a tablespoon of meat mixture in the center. Fold the dough over the meat mixture and pinch edges around it. Brush top of strudel with egg wash.

Bake at 350 degrees F until done, about 15 minutes.

POTATO DOUGH

1 package dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup mashed potatoes
7 to 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided use

Dissolve yeast in 1 1/2 cups water. Stir in sugar, salt, shortening, eggs and potatoes. Stir in 4 cups flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix well until smooth. Knead with enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth dough. Place in greased bowl, turning dough to coat well. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 8 hours.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Punch down the dough. Shape into desired rolls or use for krautstrudels (above recipe).

FOR ROLLS:
Place shaped dough on a greased cookie sheet. Cover loosely and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes.

---

KRAUT BURGERS

FOR THE FILLING:
1 lb ground beef
1 whole cabbage head, cored and chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Canola oil

In a pan on medium-high heat. Add meat, breaking up meat and cook until raw color is gone. Drain any excess fat and set aside.

In a large pan, heat oil on medium heat. Add cabbage, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, sage, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and Worcestershire sauce, cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don't brown cabbage. Drain off any excess liquid.

Add cooked beef to cabbage mixture and cook for 20 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is completely softened. Check seasoning and adjust to taste.

Use for filling.

---

RUNZAS

FOR THE FILLING:
2 cups chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 pounds ground beef
3/4 pound kielbasa, ground to a paste
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground caraway (optional)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cumin (optional)
1 large head of green cabbage, shredded
3/4 cup sauerkraut juice
1/4 cup top-quality gin (optional but recommended - replace with sauerkraut juice instead if not using)
Salt and pepper to taste
Thin slices of Velveeta cheese (use a different cheese if you prefer - Pepper Jack works quite well, or leave the cheese out altogether if you are so inclined)
FOR CLASSIC RUNZA DOUGH:
1 pkg. yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
7 to 8 cups flour
Beaten egg (for brushing runza tops)

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Saute onions and garlic in a large frying pan with a little butter or olive oil until tender. Add ground beef and kielbasa along with generous amounts of salt and pepper. Cook thoroughly and drain well.

Put browned ground beef and sausage into a crockpot. Add cabbage, spices and kraut juice. Leave the crockpot overnight on "low". Drain and cool.

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
Soften the yeast in the warm milk. Add the shortening to the milk to soften too.

In a large bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and eggs. Stir in yeast mixture. Add flour one cup at a time, stirring well after each cup. When the dough becomes too stiff to stir, turn out onto the counter and incorporate remaining flour by kneading. The amount of flour depends on the size of your eggs. Knead until the dough is elastic and smooth. Let rest in a covered bowl one hour or until doubled in size.

TO FILL AND BAKE:
Cut off golf ball sized pieces to roll out and fill. Cut the dough into squares.

Use a slotted spoon or similar when filling the dough to allow the cabbage/meat mix to be dry. Add a thin slice of Velveeta over the top of the filling. Pinch the sides together over the filling. Seal well so nothing leaks during baking. Place on a greased cookie sheet, cover with a clean cloth, and let raise at least half an hour.

This is a good time to preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush the tops with a beaten egg just before putting them in the oven.

Bake the runzas in the oven 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

TO FREEZE:
Runzas freeze very well. Allow them to cool completely, uncovered. Once these are cool, wrap in aluminum foil. Put 4 wrapped runzas to a gallon ziplock bag and freeze for 4-6 weeks.

TO REHEAT:
If you have not frozen these, heat the oven to 400 degrees F and heat for 10-12 minutes. If you have frozen these, heat oven to 400 degrees F, put frozen, (and still wrapped runza package) into the oven and heat for 20-25 minutes. The last 5 minutes, remove the foil.

---

RUNZAS

FOR THE DOUGH:
2 cups warm water
1 (1/4 oz) packet active dry yeast
6 to 6 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Canola or vegetable oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Add 2 cups of warm water to a large bowl. Sprinkle one packet of yeast over top of the warm water and give it a little whisk. Proof for 5 minutes.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add room temperature butter to flour mixture. Using fingers or a pastry knife, combine butter into flour to form small crumbs. It will still be very floury.

FOR STAND MIXER METHOD:
If using a stand mixer, add 3 cups of flour to the wet ingredients and using the paddle attachment, beat on medium (Speed 4 on most models) for 2 minutes. Continue to add a 1/2 cup at a time, making sure all the flour has been combined after each addition before adding more flour. The dough will start to form around the paddle. If the dough starts to get too stiff for the paddle, change to the dough hook. Continue adding flour until the dough loses its tackiness. The dough should not be wet. You may not need all of the flour. With the dough hook, knead dough at medium-high (typically Speed 7) for 5 minutes. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl and the surface of the dough is smooth.

FOR MANUAL METHOD:
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix well with a heavy handled wooden spoon or spatula. Use hands to combine all remaining flour into dough. Lightly flour work surface. Turn out dough onto work surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth.

FOR BOTH METHODS:
Lightly oil a large bowl with oil. Put dough into bowl and coat dough with oil. Cover with tightly woven towel and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in a warm, draft-free place.

Lightly flour work surface. Turn dough out onto work surface and divide dough into half. Place one half back into the bowl. Roll half into a 15x10-inch rectangle, about 1/2-inch thick. Try to square off the ends but don't worry too much if the corners aren't pointy. Cut lengthwise down the center. A pizza cutter works great for this. Then make 3 even cuts across to make six 5 5-inch squares. Put dough squares on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with other half of dough. Each half will make 6, totaling 12.

Place 2 large spoonfuls of filling in the center of each square. Begin with opposite side of the square, draw the 2 corners together and pinch close. Take the other 2 opposite sides and repeat, now with all 4 corners together. Pinch the side edges together firmly to form the seams of the pillow. There should be no filling peaking out. Flip pillows over onto baking sheets. (You don't have to line the baking sheet but I like to use either the silicone baking sheets or parchment paper minimize clean-up since sometimes a little liquid may leak onto the pan during baking.) Cover with towel and let rise for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F while the pillows are rising.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush tops with melted butter.

---

KRAUTBURGERS / PIEROGS / RUNZAS

FOR THE DOUGH:
2 cups warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1 egg
2 teaspoons salt
7 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
FOR THE FILLING:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
6 cups shredded cabbage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional additional seasonings for the filling: garlic, celery salt,
1/4 cup melted butter (for brushing tops after baking)

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Mix in sugar, margarine, egg, salt and 1/2 of the flour. Beat until smooth; add remaining flour until dough pulls together. Place in oiled bowl. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, OR let it rise for 1 hour.

TO FILL AND BAKE:
In a large heavy skillet, brown meat. Add onion, garlic if using it, cabbage, salt, any additional herbs, spices, or other seasonings, and simmer 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning, add additional salt and pepper as needed. Cool until lukewarm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.

Punch down dough and divide into 20 pieces. Spread each piece of dough out on an un-floured surface and fill with approximately 2 tablespoons filling. Fold dough over and seal edges. Place on prepared cookie sheet and let rise for 1 hour.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with butter and serve.

---

KRAUT STRUDEL

FOR THE DOUGH:*
2 cups warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted (plus additional for brushing tops)
6 1/2 cups flour
FOR THE FILLING:
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 1/2 cups sauerkraut, drained
Salt and pepper, to season

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
Mix 2 cups warm water, yeast, sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Add egg and melted butter. Stir in flour until a dough is created.

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Brown the hamburger and onion. Add cabbage, kraut and season heavily with salt and pepper.

TO FILL AND BAKE:
Roll the dough out. Cut into squares approx 3x3-inches.

Put several tablespoons of filling on each square Bring the 4 corners to the top, creating a pouch and seal well. Place on greased sheet and butter each strudel.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

*Alternatively, you can also just use dough rolls for an easier and faster version.

---

KRAUT BURGERS

FOR THE DOUGH:
5 to 6 cups of flour, divided use
2 pkgs dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup butter softened
2 eggs
FOR THE 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)

Combine 2 cups flour, yeast and sugar. Put into stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and combine completely. Add butter and 1 1/2 cups 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.

MEANWHILE, TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Melt butter in a large pot, add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. 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.

TO FILL AND BAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

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

---

NEBRASKAN RUNZAS
Source: Foodnetwork.com, Amy Thielen

FOR THE DOUGH:
1 1/4 -ounce packet active dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar, plus a pinch
4 large eggs
3 3/4 cups bread flour, plus more for the counter
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, softened, plus more for the bowl
2 teaspoons fine sea salt

FOR THE FILLING:
1 pound 85 to 90 percent lean ground beef
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons salted butter
1 large Vidalia onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for the baking sheets
8 ounces baby spinach

TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
Combine 3/4 cup warm water (approximately 110 degrees F), the yeast and a pinch of sugar in a large mixing bowl and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Add 3 eggs and whisk to combine. Add half of the bread flour and beat with a wooden spoon until good and thready, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, the remaining flour and the salt and mix well. The dough will be a little sticky. Let rest 15 minutes.
Knead the dough to develop the gluten until it feels tight and smooth, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly buttered bowl, cover and let it rise for 1 hour at room temperature. Then chill in the refrigerator, 1 to 2 hours or overnight.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into 8 even portions. Roll each one into a ball and leave on the counter, covered loosely, to warm up, about 30 minutes.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE FILLING:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up the beef, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a bowl.

Drain and discard all but a film of the fat from the skillet. Add the butter; when it has melted, add the onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook 3 minutes. Add the mixture to the bowl containing the beef.

Without cleaning the skillet, add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Saute the spinach over high heat until wilted and the excess liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Chop the spinach, then add it to the beef mixture and set aside to cool.

ROLL OUT THE DOUGH:
Flatten a dough ball on a heavily floured surface and roll out into a 3-by-5-inch rectangle. Then make wrapping flaps from the four corners of the rectangle by rolling out each corner thinly so you have a thick rectangle with four thinner triangular wings at the corners.

TO FILL THE RUNZAS:
Spoon 1/2 cup of the beef filling into the center of the dough rectangle and wrap the flaps over it, pinching to close. Flip the bundle over in your hands, gently forming the runza into a fat football shape. Set the runza seam-side down on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough balls, arranging them on 2 oiled baking sheets. Let the runzas rise about an inch, uncovered, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Whisk the remaining egg and 2 tablespoons water to make an egg wash and brush it thinly over the tops of the runzas.

Bake until golden brown, 25 minutes. Serve hot.

---

ORIGINAL LAUER-KRAUT BURGERS
Source: Foodnetwork.com

FOR THE BURGER FILLING:
1 3/4 pounds 80/20 ground chuck
1 1/2 yellow onions, chopped 1/4-inch
2 teaspoons restaurant-grind black pepper, divided
1 medium head green cabbage, chopped 1/4-inch
1/2 cup Lauer Kraut (substitute bagged kraut, not canned)
1 teaspoon salt
FOR THE BREAD DOUGH:
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup powdered milk
8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup shortening
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

TO PREPARE THE BURGER FILLING:
Begin by browning the ground chuck in a large skillet over medium heat, crumbling the meat pretty finely as it browns. Once the chuck is browned, add the chopped onions and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook the onion down a little, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chopped cabbage, sour kraut, salt and the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper. Let the mixture cook 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how done you like the cabbage. Strain and let cool.

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
Put the yeast and sugar in a 4 cup measuring cup and add warm water to the 1 cup mark. Stir together and let set until the yeast rises to twice its original size. Put the powdered milk in another 4 cup measuring cup and add water to the 2 cup mark. Stir together. In large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and shortening. Cut the shortening into the flour by hand. Next, make a well in the flour and add the eggs, yeast mixture and the powdered milk mixture to the flour. Work together until it all comes away from the bowl (you may need a touch more flour or water). Oil the dough slightly on each side, cover and then let rise 10 minutes. Pinch and let rise another 15 minutes.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put bench flour on the table and put the dough on the flour. Begin to roll the dough as close to a rectangle as you can, roughly 24x30-inches. Once the dough is rolled out, cut the dough into squares, roughly 6x6-inches. Take a square of dough and roll it out a little bigger, roughly 8x8-inches.

Turn the re-rolled square over and add a full cup of filling mixture into the middle of the dough. Bring the opposite corners of the square together, and then bring the other 2 opposite corners together. You should have all 4 corners drawn together. Then pinch down the 4 seams of the dough. Once you pinch all the seams, push down slightly on the kraut burger. This will release extra air and help you find any place you missed sealing the kraut burger. Turn the sealed pocket over and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

NOTE: This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.
Recipe courtesy of Mama Lori Lauer "The Boss" at Lauer-Krauts, Brighton, CO.

---

KRAUT BIEROCK
Makes 12

FOR THE DOUGH:
2 cups warm water
2 pkg. dry yeast
6 to 6 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
FOR THE FILLING:
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
3 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
4 to 4 1/2 cups sliced onions (4 large)
3 1/2 lb. sliced cabbage

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
Dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water.

Combine and sift dry ingredients. Work butter into flour mixture with fingers until evenly distributed. Pour yeast liquid into flour mixture and work until bowl is clean. Place dough on floured board and knead about 5 minutes. Place in oiled bowl and turn once. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 hour, until double in bulk.

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Combine first six ingredients for the filling in large pan and brown over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add sliced cabbage. Cover and cook about 1/2 hour. Cool.

TO FILL AND BAKE:
Divide dough in two equal parts. Roll each part into rectangle, approximately 10x15x1/4-inch thick. Cut into six squares, 5x5-inches.

Place filling in middle of each square and draw up corners and seal the seams by pinching together. Place on oiled cookie sheet, seam side down, and let rise 15 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees F about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.

---

BIEROCKS - VOLGA (GERMAN MEAT PASTRIES)
Makes 16

FOR THE BREAD DOUGH:
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups flour (substitute with half whole grain flour if desired)
FOR THE FILLING:
1 1/4 lb ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
3 or 4 garlic cloves, grated
About 1/2 medium sized green cabbage head, chopped
3 tbsp mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sugar, to taste
Milk for basting

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
In a bowl, combine the warm milk and 1/2 cup warm water with the sugar and yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Add the softened butter, salt, and about 4 cups of the flour. Knead the dough for about 8 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough several times to slightly coat the dough with the oil from all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the bread dough rise for about an hour at a warm location.

IN THE MEANTIME, TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Brown the ground beef together with the chopped onion. When the meat is almost done but still a little pink, add the chopped cabbage and garlic. Cook until the meat is done and the cabbage becomes soft. Season to taste with mustard, salt, pepper, and sugar.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough piece into a square shape. Cut it into four pieces.

Fill each portion with some of the cabbage meat filling. Moisten the edges of the dough with water and then pinch the edges together to form a bun. Place the bun with the seam down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let the buns rise for 10 minutes to half an hour.

Baste the buns with milk.

Bake them for up to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

---

KRAUTBURGER

FOR THE DOUGH:
2 pkg. dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water
2/3 cup warm milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
4 1/2 to 5 cups flour, divided use
Butter, melted (optional, for brushing tops)
FOR THE FILLING:
1 (15 to 16 oz.) can sauerkraut (not the sweetened kind)
1/4 lb. ground pork sausage
1 lb. hamburger
2 tbsp. dry onion soup mix
1 tbsp. dried oregano

Make filling while dough is rising.

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
Dissolve yeast in 2/3 cup warm water in a large mixing bowl. Add milk, sugar, shortening, salt, eggs, and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Blend together at low speed with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally.

Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough easy to handle. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic 5-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning greased side up. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

MEANWHILE, PREPARE THE FILLING:
Brown meat. Add remaining ingredients for the filling, mixing well. Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes.

TO FILL AND BAKE:
When dough has risen, divide into four portions. Roll each portion into a rectangle, approximately 10x14-inches and 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 6 squares.

Place 1/4 to 1/3 cup filling on each square. Pull up opposite corners and pinch together at center top. Place, pinched side down, on baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or till golden. If desires, brush tops with butter.