Dough: (or use your own recipe)
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 pkg. yeast
3 cups flour
Filling:
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. diced onions
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 c. yellow mustard
1/4 c. dill pickles, finely diced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
sesame seeds
To prepare dough, mix together water, oil, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix until yeast is dissolved. Stir in flour. Work into a smooth ball. Leave in bowl and cover to rise.
Brown ground beef and onion together until fully cooked. Remove from heat and drain to remove excess fat. Mix in ketchup, mustard, and pickles. Cool.
On floured surface, roll dough out into a 12 x 18-inch rectangle. Spread filling over dough down the center of the rectangle. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and cheese. Cut 6 strips along each side and braid over filling. Tuck end under. Place on greased baking sheet. Brush with egg wash (1 egg plus 1 Tbsp. water), then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Let rise for 20 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Dig in!
Update: To see more thorough instructions on making a filled braid, please see this helpful site. I don’t make so many cuts for the braids, but the method is the same.