Talk:Bierock

Picture

I don't know what that picture is, but it sure ain't a bierock...A bierock is a pocket of dough, not a yeast cupcake looking thing... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.166.184.99 (talk) 19:25, 23 December 2010 (UTC)

Sorry, I forgot to sign my post. But the picture of the bierock is incorrect. This is what a bierock looks like: http://www.fresnohub.com/images/bierock.jpg

65.166.184.99 (talk) 19:30, 23 December 2010 (UTC)Heather

• I agree. that ain't no bierock.Flight Risk (talk) 18:51, 30 March 2019 (UTC)

Fixed the picture to one I took of what is a pretty standard bierock here in Kansas. InDefenseOfToucans (talk) 01:43, 14 March 2021 (UTC)

Bierock in Argentina

In Argentina, people of Volga German descent call this "Pirok" or "Kraut Pirok".

http://www.alemanesvolga.com.ar/cultura/recetas/r4.html http://newsarch.rootsweb.com/th/read/GER-RUS-ARG/2008-04/1209585024

Chipppy (talk) 07:36, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

Kansas "Beer Rock" as opposed to bierock (or bürrocks as my mother's recipe card)

bürrocks have been a long time favorite recipe my mother brought back from her tour of duty in Germany. As a Kansan I do not call them BEER ROCKS, however I have made a beer enhanced version of this recipe. I use a stout ale like Fat Tire, Guinness, or a local brew Called "Ad Astra Ale" by FreeState brewery.

I don't know who can edit the article, but I don't like being associated as an illiterate Kansan.

Mike L. Topeka, Ks

As a side note, the bierocks (bürrocks) I find available to purchase here are made by or from the recipes of Russian and Romanian Immigrants. While they use a white fluffy dough, I prefer my family's version with a whole wheat (pita like) dough. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.202.144.116 (talk) 13:29, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Down around Wichita the pronunciation does indeed morph into something like "beer rock." The rural accent shortens those kinds of vowels all over the place so I think it's a case of urbanites overcorrecting on certain words. My mother-in-law says "bürrock" where her son who has mostly shed the rural accent says "beer-rock." (I still have to ask him if he said "pin" or "pen" though.) 73.160.86.247 (talk) 00:24, 12 November 2018 (UTC)

Etymology

True, it is an inconclusive argument as to the origin of the word 'bierock'. Could be from 'pirog' (пиро́г) or it could be from börek. Forgetting the nationalism that always seems to permeate these sorts of debates, we ought to look at the geography and lingusitic history and comparable examples. The region was a crossroads for many tribes over the centuries and is still an ethnic mix of Turkic and Slavic peoples today. The Turkic language inflence of the Volga Tatars and Kazahks cannot be discounted -- especially when you look at the larger region where nations under Ottoman rule for a period (Greece, Bulgaria, the Balkans, etc.) where occupation led to native cuisines being influenced by the Turks and pastries with names derived from the word 'börek' exist today. A prime example (because it is a Turkic derived word written in Cyrillic) is the Bulgarian 'byurek' (бюрек) which looks an awful lot like a transliteration of 'bierock'.

The bottom line is that no one is entirely sure of the exact origin. But given that over the centuries with local dialects and non-Russian languages spoken adjacent a community of non-Russian speaking German immigrants, there undoubtedly was an influence regardless of whetehr it was from Russian or a Turkic language. Both theories should be included in the article.Ryecatcher773 (talk) 14:30, 7 April 2016 (UTC)

Fine with me so far, as long as no really reliable source is found for either version. As a side remark, apparently no etymological connection was found between pirog and börek. Although both dishes are similar, this idea was rejected by Max Vasmer. --Off-shell (talk) 21:36, 7 April 2016 (UTC)

I took time to study it in more detail. Тhere is no reliable source linking bierock to börek. The only source provided is a speculation by an uknown contributor in LA Times. In contrast, the link to pirog is given in two academic publications (JSTOR or 1, 2). Also comparing the cooking techniques, it is clear that bierocks are basically identical to Russian pirogs. They are made of yeast dough, while börek is made of yufka or filo dough. Also, pre-cooked meat is used as a filling. This is typical and very specific for Russian pirogs, but not for böreks. Here are some typical small pirogs (called pirozhki, singular pirozhok, a diminutive of pirog):

• 
• 
• 

They are basically identical to bierocks. One can also compare google images: bierocks, pirozhki, börek. The difference is obvious.

However, there is a different German-Russian turnover in North Dakota, called Fleischkiechla (meaning "little meat cake", also described in the same source). It is deep-fried and was brought by Germans who had lived in Crimea. It closely resembles chebureki, a Crimean-Tatar national dish, which is indeed a type of börek. --Off-shell (talk) 11:06, 14 March 2021 (UTC)