Fleischkuechle
Seasoned ground beef sealed inside squares of yeasted dough and deep-fried until golden and puffed. Known as 'meat pockets,' it's the most iconic German-Russian dish in North Dakota.
- Prep
- 90 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 110 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Equipment
- •Rolling pin
- •Deep fryer or heavy pot
- •Slotted spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- fat
- 29
- carbs
- 42
- protein
- 22
- calories
- 520
Instructions
- 1
Stir the yeast and sugar into warm water. Let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Mix the flour and 1 teaspoon salt together. Stir in the yeast mixture and egg to make a soft dough.
- 3
Knead the dough until smooth. Cover it and let it rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
- 4
Mix the ground beef, onion, remaining salt, and pepper together for the meat filling.
- 5
Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a thin 7-inch square or round.
- 6
Spoon a portion of the meat filling onto one half of each dough piece.
- 7
Fold the dough over the filling. Press and crimp the edges tightly to seal them completely.
- 8
Heat oil to 375°F in a deep pot on the stovetop.
- 9
Fry each fleischkuechle (meat pastry) 3-4 minutes per side. Cook until deeply golden and cooked through.
- 10
Drain on a wire rack. Serve hot.
Chef's tips
Seal the dough edges tightly to keep filling inside. Fry at a steady 375°F so the meat cooks before the crust gets too dark.
Storage
Refrigerate cooked fleischkuechle up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes to re-crisp the crust.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Leaving the edges loose, which causes the filling to leak out during frying.
- •Rolling the dough too thick, which leaves a doughy center.
Serving suggestions
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