Kraut Burgers

So my husband was telling me about a dish his great grandmother used to make called "Kraut Burgers." Now I was skeptical since he absolutely HATES sauerkraut. He said this meal is like a German calzone. So I did some Internet research and found out what they were all about and I was intrigued and curious to make them. After lots of looking at pictures, recipes and blog posts & comments, I decided this was my Saturday night kitchen adventure! 

And I was not disappointed. 

They were surprisingly easy to make and full of flavor. I didn't go with any specific recipe, but picked different ingredients from several recipes, added some of my own flavors & spices and created a Krautburger I can call my own. This recipe makes 12 burgers so if you're not feeding a big group, you can halve it.

I also plugged the ingredients into my Cook'n Recipe Organizer and the nutritional information is not too bad, especially if you drain the grease off the meat well.

Amount per Serving
Calories 450
Calories from Fat 160.0
Total Fat 18g
Saturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 80mg
Sodium 542mg
Total Carbohydrate 43.6g
Dietary Fiber 4.1g
Sugars 0g
Protein 30.2g
Here is the recipe:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb pork sausage
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 medium head of cabbage, chopped or sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Table Blend
2 cans refrigerated pizza dough
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Salt & Pepper to taste
Olive Oil

Cook the beef and pork in a large skillet with the garlic and about 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any excess juice and return the meat to the skillet. Add the onion, Mrs Dash and cabbage and cook on low, covered for 15-20 minutes until the cabbage has softened. Salt and pepper to taste.

In the meantime, roll out the pizza dough until thin and cut into 12 equal squares. When the meat mix is cooked, spoon an equal amount onto the center of each dough square, then fold the corners together to seal the meat inside. 

Place on a cookie sheet sprayed wtih Pam, sealed side down. Brush the top with butter and bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes until the dough has been browned.

I served the burger with a small salad of fresh spinach and chopped roma tomatoes. Very simple dinner, but very tasty too. I loved the combination of the beef and pork together. I also keep the onion to a minimum since I wanted to bring out the flavor of the cabbage. This was not greasy at all and the meat stayed juicy inside the dough. Plus, the pizza dough not only added a nice flavor, but it was golden brown and crisp. No soggy dough here.

I think this meal would be good for both adults and kids. And the kids would sure enjoy building their own burger too!

 

Featured on The Chicken Chick's Clever Chicks Link Party #42 July 8, 2013