I was so pleased with how my savory dairy hamantaschen came out, I decided to have a go at these meat ones. I used the same pulled beef recipe that I used for the sandwiches and tacos a few weeks ago, so if you have leftover meat filling, you can try one of those.

I served the hamantaschen with a sweet, creamy coleslaw and a slice of pickle on top, but you can tailor them to your taste. A slice of tomato and some shredded lettuce would also taste good and be aesthetically pleasing, for example.

Once you’ve prepared the meat mixture, here’s how to assemble and bake the hamantaschen:




If you’re making these ahead of time, the best way to reheat them is in the oven, uncovered, on a baking sheet. That way, the pastry will flake up again, instead of becoming soggy.

Ingredients:

  • 20 (non-dairy) puff pastry squares (4 × 4 inches each)
  • 1 egg
  • 5 pickles
  • Coleslaw (recipe below)
  • Pulled beef (recipe below)

Pulled Beef Ingredients:

  • 2 onions, sliced in half rounds
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2.5 lb. short ribs (bone in)
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • ½ cup water
  • 1½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1½ tsp. ginger powder

Directions:

  1. In medium-sized pot, fry the onions with the oil and salt until golden. Remove the onions and set aside. Return pot to the heat.
  2. Cut the ribs between the bones (but do not remove the bones) and brown on each side, in the same pot. Brown the meat in small batches. If the pot is overcrowded, the meat will steam instead of browning.
  3. When all the meat has browned, add the onions back into the pot.
  4. Pour in all the sauce ingredients over the meat and mix to combine. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook over a very low flame for 3 hours.
  5. Remove the meat from the sauce and shred. (If the meat does not fall apart easily, you need to cook it for longer.) Discard the bones and any lumps of fat.
  6. Return the meat to the sauce and refrigerate until ready to assemble the hamantaschen. Meat keeps well in the freezer, too, if you want to prepare it in advance.

Coleslaw Ingredients:

  • 2 cups coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrot
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • Sprinkle of garlic powder
  • Sprinkle of black pepper
  • 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Mix the mayonnaise, sugar, salt and garlic powder together. Add the lemon juice and mix in one direction until incorporated. (Mixing in one direction helps prevent lumps from forming.)
  2. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and mix. Let the coleslaw marinate for 30 minutes or so before serving.

To Assemble:

  1. Cut each puff pastry square in half diagonally.
  2. Cut a triangular smaller triangular hole in half of the pieces.
  3. Place a couple of tablespoons of the filling on the base triangle and cover with the “window” triangle.
  4. Use a fork to press down the edges, making sure they are sealed well.
  5. Beat the egg and brush over the top of the puff pastry. Place the triangles on a baking sheet lined with the parchment paper.
  6. Bake at 400° F for 25–30 minutes.
  7. Serve warm, and top each hamantasch with a heaping tablespoon of coleslaw and a slice of pickle.

Yields: 20 hamantaschen


Will you be getting creative with hamantaschen this year? Let us know what you’ll be making.