Kraut Burgers (Runzas)

• 1 pound fresh ground meat [turkey or ground beef chuck] *
• 1 small white onion [chopped]
• 1/2 cup beer
• Black Pepper
• 1/2 head of green cabbage [coarsely chopped]
• 1 lb. frozen bread dough [thawed]
• 1/4 cup melted butter

• 350 degrees oven temperature
• two cookie sheets [greased or sprayed with non-stick PAM]

First, you brown your meat and chopped onion. I used ground turkey. [*my grandmother and mother used leftover shaved beef roast] Once the ground meat is browned thoroughly, I add one half cup of beer! [The alcohol cooks out of it, and gives a really 'special' flavor!

Add chopped cabbage and 1/2 cup beer

Add black pepper and stir to coat meat, cabbage and onion

Reduce heat, and cover....allowing mixture to cook more thoroughly and cabbage and onion to become soft, translucent--

When cabbage is limp, then remove from heat to cool.

In the meantime, divide the 1 lb bread loaf [thawed] into eight 'biscuit' sized balls

...with your hands, flatten each 'biscuit' to about 4 inches in diameter. Add about 1/2 cup of meat [USING A SLOTTED SPOON SO JUICES CAN DRAIN], onion and cabbage mixture and fold dough over the mixture. Pinch dough to secure tightly.
[Note: if your mixture is too hot, the dough will split from the heat and make it very difficult to fold without breaking open!]

Place your meat pockets -- the runzas on the prepared cookie sheets, allowing room for rising, cooking dough--- Bake until nicely browned. Baste finished runza [kraut burgers] with melted butter...giving them a beautiful finish.

Serve hot! I love 'em with yellow mustard dipping sauce. Dill pickle slices.

Thanks to Hootin' Anni