Traditional German Bierocks Aka Runzas Made From Scratch Recipe By Indiana Mommy Cooking From The Heart Land Recipes

RUNZAS (BIEROCKS)

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.

BIEROCKS OR RUNZAS

Steps:

• Bloom the yeast in the warm water for 10 minutes, then mix all the remaining dough incredient together in a bowl. Knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes, then cover and let rest 1 hour.
• Make the filling. Heat the butter in a large pan and cook the cabbage, sauerkraut and onions over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in the thyme, mustard, vinegar and beer and simmer until the liquid is all gone. Turn off the heat, and, when this is cool, mix well with the uncooked meat. Set in the fridge.
• After the first hour has elapsed, punch down the dough, knead a few more times, then roll into a ball, cover and let sit another hour.
• When the dough has about 30 minutes to go, take the filling out of the fridge. It is important that it goes into the bierock at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking sheet well.
• Cut the dough into eight pieces. Set the pieces you are not working on under plastic wrap or a damp towel. Divide the filling into eight parts, too.
• Roll a piece of dough into a ball, then flatten it to about 1/3 of an inch thick. Roll the outer inch of the dough thinner, to about ¼ inch thick or even thinner if you can - this makes what will become the bottom of the pastry match better with the top. Add some filling and bring the dough up all around it to seal. Set the dough seam side down on a floured surface and gently shape it into a flattened ball with your hands. Set on the greased baking sheet and repeat with the other pieces of dough.
• When all your bierocks are made and on the sheet, paint them all with egg and sprinkle with the seeds, plus a little more salt.
• Bake for 25 minutes, and cool a bit before serving. These are excellent at room temperature, too.

EASY GERMAN BIEROCKS (RUNZA)

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in ground beef, and cook until crumbly and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes more. Add the chopped cabbage; cook and stir until the cabbage has softened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then spread the mixture onto a baking sheet to cool until cool enough to handle.
• Once the mixture has cooled, flatten a dinner roll, and place several tablespoons of the cabbage mixture in the center. Pull the edges of the dough over the filling and pinch to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or electric skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fry bierocks a few at a time in the preheated oil on both sides until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes; drain on paper towels.

BIEROCKS

Steps:

• For dough, in a large bowl, combine 4 cups of flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well and set aside. , In a saucepan, heat water, milk and butter just until butter melts. Remove from heat and cool to 120°-130°. Combine with flour mixture; add eggs. Using an electric mixer, blend at low speed until moistened then beat at medium speed for 3 minutes. By hand, gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a firm dough. , Knead on a floured surface about 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; let rise again until almost doubled. , Meanwhile, for the filling, brown beef with onion, salt and pepper; drain. Mix together with cabbage; set aside. Divide the dough into fourths. Roll each piece into a 15x10-in. rectangle. Cut into 5-inch squares. Spoon 1/3 to 1/2 cup filling onto each square. Bring the four corners up over the filling; pinch together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Place on greased baking sheets. , Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until brown.