Easy Bierocks Recipe
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This German Bierocks recipe is a savory German meat pie with cabbage. It’s utterly delicious and filled with cooked and seasoned ground beef, shredded cabbage, and onions, then baked until the pillowy dough is golden and delicious. An updated family recipe we love!
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My grandmother’s family were Germans living in Russia until they immigrated to the United States in the 1900s. When I asked my mother’s older sister (my aunt) about the foods she remembered my Great grandmother making most, Bierocks was the first she mentioned.
When she described cabbage and onions encased in sweet yeasted bread, I was all in for a now familiar cherished tradition.
Especially during Oktoberfest!
What Are Bierocks?
Bierocks (pronounced bee-ROK) are handheld German meat pies. They are traditionally encased in sweet yeast-raised rolls and filled with a savory filling similar to a Russian piroshki.
Originating in Eastern Europe, they were a common food among German immigrants, especially the Germans From Russia groups.
Ingredients for Bierocks Recipe
Measurements for the ingredients are in the recipe card below, but here is a quick list of what you will need.
- Frozen dinner rolls, like Rhodes, for the bread crust (See options in the recipe notes for quicker options if needed).
- Ground beef for the filling, or your preferred ground meat like turkey, chicken, pork, etc.
- Cabbage: I’m using shredded cabbage in this recipe, but if you love sauerkraut, it is a quick and easy substitution. Be sure to drain the sauerkraut before adding to the filling.
- Seasonings: sweet paprika, ground caraway seeds, and salt and pepper to taste
- Egg for an egg wash
How to Make Bierocks
This is a simple recipe with a 3-step process.
- Prepare ready-made bread crust (see a quicker option in the recipe notes).
- Make the filling (see options for cabbage).
- Flatten the bread roll dough and place stuffing inside. Spoon filling in the center of the dough, then pinch the edges together to form a ball. If needed, seal the edges with warm water. Finally, bake the bierocks until cooked and golden.
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Easy Bierocks Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Bread Crust
- 10 unbaked frozen dinner rolls like Rhodes
- 1 egg with 1 tablespoons water for an egg wash
Filling
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 3 cups shredded cabbage or 8 oz sauerkraut
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put frozen rolls on a baking sheet, cover with a tea towel and let thaw and rise for 2-3 hours (See notes for quicker crust options).
- Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large skillet with a lid and heated with olive oil, saute the ground meat and onion until the meat is cooked and the onion is soft and caramelized. Then add the chopped cabbage, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain any residual fat or moisture before filling the crusts. (See Notes below is you're using sauerkraut).
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Roll out each dinner roll on a lightly floured surface into a circle about 1/4 inch thick. Put about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture in the center of each circle. Fold up the sides of the dough to form a ball and pinch the ends together.
- Transfer the bierocks to the prepared baking sheet seam side down, brush with egg wash, and bake until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I make this with 1 1/2 # hamburger and 1/2 # sausage
I use crescent rolls. Roll out and then fill and wrap like diaper. Put on cookie sheet dab top of crescent roll and bake. Makes 16
Hi Virginia! I love your addition of sausage— that would be so delicious. Thank you for trying them and sharing how you made the Bierocks.
I am just now seeing this recipe. I will be trying my hand at this even though I’ve never tried anything like this process. It is very similar to a Cajun dish called “Pistollettes”. Pistollettes are a Cajun roll but can come stuffed with a mixture, sort of like ettoufe, and then deep fried (or at least that’s the way that we were shown to cook them). They are delicious! The only recipes I’ve found have shown to take a cooked or baked roll, cut one end off, fill, and then “glue” the end back on by moistening the end and pushing together. This seems much better. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Jim, the Pistollettes sound delicious, as do all Cajun dishes! These Bierocks are super easy, especially if you use refrigerated biscuit dough! Hope you like them!