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Meat buns (aka pyrizhky) are absolutely addicting. I mean, how can you go wrong with a soft, buttery bun surrounding a flavourful meaty filling? Spoiler alert: you cannot.
Buns on buns.
As I mentioned in my blog post Discovering Ukrainian Recipes: A Memoir, these buns have a special place in my heart because of my bestie. These buns are one of her favourite Ukrainian foods and I can certainly understand why. The dough is enriched with butter and eggs making it soft and tender. The flavour of the filling is punched up with the addition of bacon. Its perfection in a wee bun. So damn good.
More Recipes Please.
Serve these meat buns alongside any (or all) of my other delish Ukrainian recipes:
Cottage Cheese & Dill Perogies
Rice & Beef Cabbage Rolls (Holubtsi)
Check out the recipe video below for a tutorial on how to make these meat buns (pyrizhky).
Meat Buns (Pyrizhky)
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 strips thick cut bacon diced
- 1 small onion finely diced
- ½ lb ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Dough
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- olive oil for greasing
Egg Wash
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- To make the filling: heat a medium skillet over medium heat.
- When the skillet is hot, add the diced bacon and sauté until it is just starting to brown then add the onion and sauté until the onion and bacon are golden, about 15 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and sauté until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and sauté for a minute or so and then remove the skillet from heat.
- Transfer the mixture to a container and cool in the fridge for about 1 hour or overnight.
- To make the dough: in a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine the warm milk, sugar and yeast. Whisk together and let sit for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the yeast mixture is bubbly and foamy.
- Once the yeast mixture is looking noice and foamy, add the flour, melted butter, egg yolks and salt.
- If you are using a stand mixer, affix the dough hook attachment and mix the dough on low speed until combined. If you are mixing the dough by hand, use a wooden spoon to mix until you reach a shaggy, mostly combined dough.
- If you are using a stand mixer, up the speed a couple notches and knead the dough until it has mostly pulled away from the side of the bowl mostly and looks smooth, or about 5 minutes. If you are mixing the dough by hand, turn the dough onto the counter and knead until smooth, about 15 minutes.
- If you are using a stand mixer, remove the dough hook and the dough from the bowl. Lightly oil the bowl and return the dough to the bowl. If you are mixing the dough by hand, lightly oil the bowl and return the dough to the bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Grease a baking tray with some olive oil and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Once your dough has risen, give it a punch and turn it out onto the counter.
- Divide the dough into 14 equal pieces.
- Take one piece of dough and roll into a circle a bit bigger than your palm.
- Scoop about 2 tbsp of the filling onto the circle of dough and pinch the edges of the dough together to form a small oval-ish bun. Place the bun on the tray and repeat with the remaining dough.
- Cover the buns with a towel and let rise again until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Once the buns are nice and puffy, make the egg wash by whisking together the egg yolk and water until combined. Brush the egg wash over each bun.
- Bake the buns at 350F for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool slightly but serve warm.
