My ancestors were sprinkled throughout the small farming communities of Kansas and Nebraska. Bierocks or runza sandwiches are among the diverse cultural foods influenced by the original settlers of the area. Rooted in the German-Russian history, the bierock dates back to the 18th century. My mother’s recipe has survived many generations. It is a convenient and tasty combination of hamburger, onions, cabbage, and sauerkraut baked inside a classic bread roll.
Recipe from Brenda Page
Ingredients
- Dough
-
- 4 (1/4 ounce) packages dry yeast
- 4 cup warm water
- 12 to 13 cups flour
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 2/3 cup butter
- Filling
-
- 6 pounds hamburger
- 1 medium-sized head cabbage, shredded
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 (32 ounce) jar sauerkraut
Directions
- Bread dough
-
- Dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine and sift flour, sugar and salt. Work butter into flour mixture with fingers until evenly distributed. Pour yeast liquid into flour mixture and work until mixture no longer adheres to the sides of the bowl. Place dough on floured surface and knead about 5 minutes. Place in oiled bowl and turn once to coat surface. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 hour, until double in bulk.
- Filling
-
- Cook together hamburger and onion until meat browns. Mix in cabbage and sauerkraut. Let the ingredients simmer for 20 minutes.
- Form dough into 2½-inch balls. Roll the dough balls until 1/4 inch thick. Place 1/4 to 1/3 cup hamburger mixture in the center of the dough. Fold the sides of the dough over the mixture and seal. Put seam-side down on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Yields 3 dozen.
