You can find "easy" bierock recipes on the internet that call for frozen bread dough, or canned crescent roll dough. Don’t fool yourself: Those are poor imitations of the real thing. And frankly, with all the thawing and rolling and messing with super-sticky frozen dough, you’re better off just making your own dough the way you like it.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Rising time1 hourhr
Total Time55 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: German
Keyword: Authentic German Bierocks, Bierocks recipe, Homemade Hot Pockets
Servings: 24Bierocks
Author: Don Herman
Ingredients
4 1/2tspActive Dry Yeast2 packs
3/4cupSugarplus 1 tbsp for yeast
1cupWarm Water110F
1tbspSalt
2cupsWarm Milk
8cupsFlourI used 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 unbleached organic all-purpose flour
8tbspMelted Butter
2lgEggsplus one extra if you'd like to add a shiny egg-wash to the rolls
2lbsGround BeefI used 1 lb beef and 1 lb spicy sausage
2Yellow Onionschopped
2lbsCabbageabout 1/2 a large head
2cupsGrated Cheeseyour choice (I usually use a mild cheddar)
Salt and pepperI used 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
1tspCaraway seedsthe original calls for 1 tbsp, but I only use 1 tsp in mine.
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine yeast and 1 tbsp sugar. Whisk in 1 cup warm water. In another bowl, combine salt, warm milk and 3/4 cup sugar.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 4 cups of flour, melted butter and eggs. Mix with paddle or spoon, then add yeast mixture and the milk mixture. Mix to combine. Add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time. Switch to a dough hook when the dough gets too tough for the paddle - around 6 cups. Using the dough hook knead the dough for about 8 minutes. Or, turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Return to a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Filling
In a large pot (you'll need ALL the room!) brown the hamburger or sausage, leaving the fat. Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent. Add the cabbage and caraway, salt and pepper to taste. Cook the cabbage al dente - not to mush, but still firm enough to resist your teeth a bit when you bite.
Add caraway. It's a heavy-duty spice, so I cut it back from the original 1 tablespoon, but you can give it a taste before you use it and see if it's good for you. You can also try some red pepper flakes for a little punch.
When the dough has risen, turn it out again onto a heavily floured board or surface. You'll need to cut it into 24 somewhat even pieces. I cut the big lump in 1/4, then stretched those pieces out and cut them into 6 pieces. A little variation is fine. Cover your pieces with plastic wrap while you work rolling them out. (I find rolling it all out and cutting round circles just doesn't work as well.)
Roll a piece of dough into a ball, then with a rolling pin roll it out to about 1/8" to 1/4" thick. Even at 1/8" you'll have plenty of bread, so don't worry about making them too thin. You should have a circle about 6" in diameter.
Place 1/2 cup filling in the center, then top with 1 tbsp of cheese. Pull up opposite sides of the circle and pinch them together. Pull the OTHER sides together and do the same. Pinch up the sides to seal all the way, fold all this under the roll and place that side down onto a greased sheet or baking pan. (If you like, you can brush each roll with the egg wash - just beat one egg with a little water until it's a light yellow, then use a pastry brush to coat the top of each roll).
Bake the rolls at 350 for 25 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown.
Notes
Why whole wheat? I enjoy the nuttier flavor as well as the added fiber. It goes perfectly with recipes calling for stronger spices like caraway. If you're looking for different fillings, check out my new post with spicy sausage or pizza stuffing!If adding cheese, stick with the younger, softer varieties. Harder cheese can separate during baking, making your rolls really greasy.You can serve immediately, or let them cool, store in plastic freezer bags and reheat them anytime. They keep very well in the freezer.