Welcome to the world of homemade runzas, a culinary delight that offers a taste of tradition and comfort. These savory pockets of goodness, filled with a blend of seasoned ground beef, cabbage, and spices, have been a staple in many households for generations. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a novice in the kitchen, embarking on the journey of creating runzas from scratch is an experience that will leave you feeling accomplished and satisfied.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
TRADITIONAL GERMAN BIEROCKS (AKA RUNZAS) - MADE FROM SCRATCH: RECIPE BY INDIANA MOMMY - COOKING FROM THE HEART LAND
Steps:
- For the filling: I make the filling the day before I want to make the bierocks and cool it overnight in the refrigerator. Start by warming 1 tablespoon of the butter & avocado oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shredded cabbage, the onion, the ground beef and the salt and pepper. Break up the beef. Add the water and cover and cook over medium low heat for 30-40 minutes stirring occasionally. The cabbage should be wilted and the beef fully cooked through. Drain the mixture when it finishes cooking.
- For the dough: Heat the milk, water & butter over low heat on the stovetop until the butter is almost melted (between 120-130 degrees Fahrenheit.) In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook add 4 cups of the flour with the salt, sugar and yeast and stir together. Slowly add the milk mixture while the dough hook is mixing. Scrape the bottom and the sides a few times to make sure there aren't any pockets of flour in this mixture. Once all the flour is mixed in, add the eggs 1 at a time and mix for 3-5 minutes until all those ingredients are fully incorporated. Then while the dough hook is going add 1 cup of flour at a time until your dough comes together. It will pull away from the sides of the bowl and no longer be sticky. You need to knead the dough for 10 minutes. Grease a large bowl and put the dough into that bowl, rubbing the top and bottom in the grease that is in the bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a slightly warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch it down and let it rise again for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4. Roll each of these 1/4ths into a rectangle and cut into 6 pieces. Take about ½ cup of the filling mixture and put it into each of the 1/6ths. Pull up the diagonal corners to meet in the middle and close all 4 seams by pinching them shut. Put all the bierocks on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until nicely browned on top. I rotated mine halfway through cooking to ensure even browning. You can put them seam side up or down. Down is the more popular method because it holds the seams closed better, but that's up to you. I brushed them all with butter when they came out of the oven but that is not required.
- These freeze so well and are really great dipped in ketchup, bbq sauce, ranch, blue cheese....I love my dips haha!
HOMEMADE RUNZAS
Make Nebraska's famous Runza Sandwich at home! A bread dough pocket, filled with cabbage, onion, and seasoned ground beef, baked until golden brown. This recipe makes one dozen sandwiches but is easily cut in half. OR you can make them and freeze them!
Provided by Michaela Kenkel
Categories Sandwiches
Time 4h
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Place frozen dinner roll dough on a sheet pan and rise according to package instructions. It will use 2 rolls for each sandwich.
- While dough rises, begin browning your ground beef and onion in a large skillet. When the meat is about halfway done, add in the shredded cabbage and cover with a lid. Cook until meat and cabbage are done. Drain off any excess grease or liquid. Set aside.
- When rolls have risen completely, lightly flour your surface. Remove two rolls and form a ball. Roll the ball out into a rectangle approximately 5"x7".
- Place approximately 1/3 cup of the filling in the center of the dough and spread out from top to bottom.
- Fold the bottom up and the top of the dough down and press to seal. Fold the left side over, pinching to seal. Then do the right side, gently stretching to cover the left. Pinch closed.
- Place each sandwich on a greased cookie sheet, seam side down.
- Let rise again for another 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Brush the tops with melted butter.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until bread dough is golden brown.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 530 calories, Carbohydrate 67g grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 40g milligrams cholesterol, Fat 20 g grams fat, Fiber 4g grams fiber, Protein 20g grams protein, SaturatedFat 6g grams saturated fat, ServingSize 1 sandwich, Sodium 1370g milligrams sodium, Sugar 10g grams sugar, TransFat 3g grams trans fat, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams unsaturated fat
RUNZAS (BIEROCKS)
My mother-in-law introduced me to this and it kinda stuck. I am from Iowa, now in Kentucky, and the only way I can get this is by making it at home.
Provided by Krista Tank
Categories Main Dish Recipes Savory Pie Recipes Beef Pie Recipes
Time 1h20m
Yield 9
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Thaw out frozen bread dough; cut each roll into 3 pieces and set aside. Brown beef and cabbage in a large skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Roll out bread dough and cut into squares. Place a spoonful of the beef/cabbage mixture onto the center of each dough square. Sprinkle cheese on top, fold over and pinch sides to seal. Rub a bit of oil on the outside of each pastry.
- Place in a 9x13 inch baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until golden brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 750.2 calories, Carbohydrate 79.9 g, Cholesterol 78.8 mg, Fat 27.5 g, Fiber 8.6 g, Protein 41.2 g, SaturatedFat 10 g, Sodium 1221.7 mg, Sugar 9.9 g
RUNZAS
A white roll stuffed with cabbage, beef and onions.
Provided by klinnea
Categories Appetizers and Snacks Pastries
Time 1h50m
Yield 16
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir ground beef and onion until beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in cabbage and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook and stir until cabbage is tender, about 20 more minutes. Set mixture aside to cool.
- Mix warm water and butter in a large bowl. Combine dry milk powder, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and yeast in another bowl; stir into butter mixture. Add egg and gradually stir in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough is smooth.
- Roll dough out to 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface; cut into 4-inch squares. Scoop beef mixture into each dough square. Bring corners of a dough square together at the top and pinch corners together to seal. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with remaining beef mixture and dough. Cover rolls with a damp cloth and allow to rise for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 243.3 calories, Carbohydrate 31.3 g, Cholesterol 41 mg, Fat 8 g, Fiber 1.5 g, Protein 10.9 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Sodium 444 mg, Sugar 6.7 g
NEBRASKAN RUNZAS
Steps:
- Make the dough: Combine 3/4 cup warm water (approximately 110 degrees F),the yeast and a pinch of sugar in a large mixing bowl and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
- Add 3 eggs and whisk to combine. Add half of the bread flour and beat with a wooden spoon until good and thready, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, the remaining flour and the salt and mix well. The dough will be a little sticky. Let rest 15 minutes.
- Knead the dough to develop the gluten until it feels tight and smooth, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly buttered bowl, cover and let it rise for 1 hour at room temperature. Then chill in the refrigerator,1 to 2 hours or overnight.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into 8 even portions. Roll each one into a ball and leave on the counter, covered loosely, to warm up, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the filling: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up the beef, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a bowl.
- Drain and discard all but a film of the fat from the skillet. Add the butter; when it has melted, add the onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook 3 minutes. Add the mixture to the bowl containing the beef.
- Without cleaning the skillet, add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Saute the spinach over high heat until wilted and the excess liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Chop the spinach, then add it to the beef mixture and set aside to cool.
- Roll out the dough: Flatten a dough ball on a heavily floured surface and roll out into a 3-by-5-inch rectangle. Then make wrapping flaps from the four corners of the rectangle by rolling out each corner thinly so you have a thick rectangle with four thinner triangular wings at the corners.
- Fill the runzas: Spoon 1/2 cup of the beef filling into the center of the dough rectangle and wrap the flaps over it, pinching to close. Flip the bundle over in your hands, gently forming the runza into a fat football shape. Set the runza seam-side down on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough balls, arranging them on 2 oiled baking sheets. Let the runzas rise about an inch, uncovered, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Whisk the remaining egg and 2 tablespoons water to make an egg wash and brush it thinly over the tops of the runzas. Bake until golden brown, 25 minutes. Serve hot.
RUNZAS (FROM SCRATCH)
If you are a German from Nebraska, you must have this recipe. There are lots of shortcuts, but here is the dough and filling from scratch. Making the dough from scratch is far better than the frozen dough shortcut, but it is time consuming. They also freeze well.
Provided by Ranelle
Categories Meat
Time 4h20m
Yield 16 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- For the Dough:.
- 1. Mix water, yeast, sugar ans salt. Stir until dissolved.
- 2. Add egg and melted butter.
- 3. Stir in flour.
- 4. Put in refrigerator for four hours.
- For the Filling:.
- 1. Brown hamburger and onion. Drain off excess grease.
- 2. Add cabbage, seasonings and water then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- 3. Let cool before filling Runzas.
- For the Runzas:.
- 1. Roll dough into an oblong shape and cut into 16 squares.
- 2. Divide filling between the squares.
- 3. Pull the four sides together and press to seal.
- 4. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
NEBRASKA RUNZAS
I was born and raised in NE. All the Runzas I have ever tasted use sauerkraut. So here it is my NE Runza recipe.
Provided by hrlyhny
Categories Meat
Time 45m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Brown hamburger and onion, drain and add kraut and caraway seed.
- Cook about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Divide dough into 8 parts.
- Roll out each and fill Pinch dough together.
- Place seam side down on lightly greased baking sheet.
- Let raise 20 minutes.
- Bake 15 mins at 350.
- Brush with soften butter.
RUNZAS
These Russo-German beef-cabbage mixtures encased in yeast dough were called kraut runsas by German farmers who had first settled in Russia and then emigrated to Nebraska. Later they became kraut baroques. Today the local chains of Runza Huts and Runza Drive-Inns have copyrighted the name for a dish not unlike a Cornish pasty. Nebraskans on home leave always return with runzas.
Provided by Marian Burros
Categories lunch, main course
Time 1h30m
Yield Eight runzas
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Heat milk, water and butter together until the mixture is lukewarm; pour into electric mixer.
- Add rye flour, sugar, yeast and salt and mix.
- Beat in eggs for three minutes.
- Blend in enough white flour, about 2 1/2 cups, to make a soft dough.
- Let rise in a warm place, covered, about one hour, until doubled in bulk.
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until beef is brown.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll out the dough and cut into eight squares of equal size, about 1/4- to 1/8-inch thick.
- Divide the filling into eight portions and place a portion of filling in the center of each square.
- Take the corners of each square and fold in to center to make an envelope, pressing edges together.
- Place the runzas on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 605, UnsaturatedFat 10 grams, Carbohydrate 71 grams, Fat 26 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 23 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 568 milligrams, Sugar 15 grams, TransFat 1 gram
Tips:
- Use high-quality ground beef. The quality of the beef will greatly affect the flavor of your runzas. Look for ground beef that is at least 80% lean.
- Don't overwork the dough. Overworking the dough will make it tough. Mix it just until it comes together.
- Let the dough rest before rolling it out. This will help the dough to relax and make it easier to work with.
- Roll the dough out thinly. The dough should be about 1/8-inch thick.
- Fill the runzas generously. Don't be afraid to add a lot of filling. The more filling, the better.
- Crimp the edges of the runzas tightly. This will help to keep the filling from leaking out.
- Bake the runzas until they are golden brown. This will take about 20 minutes.
- Serve the runzas hot. Runzas are best served hot out of the oven.
Conclusion:
Runzas are a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for a quick and easy meal. They are also a great way to use up leftover ground beef. With a little planning, you can make runzas ahead of time and freeze them for later. This makes them a great option for busy weeknights. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give runzas a try. You won't be disappointed.
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