Whole Wheat Runza Dough Recipes

HOMEMADE RUNZAS

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.

HOW TO MAKE CABBAGE BUNS (AKA BIEROCKS OR RUNZAS)

Steps:

• To make the filling: Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet
• Add in the additional oil, peppers and garlic and sauté until tender
• Add cabbage and allow to soften and turn golden brown
• Season to taste with salt and pepper, then set the filling aside to cool- you can even prepare it ahead of time and refrigerate until dough is ready
• To make dough: In mixing bowl, combine the yeast and 2 cups flour
• In medium saucepan, heat milk, sucanat, butter, and salt to about 110-115 degrees until butter is just melted (too hot will kill yeast)
• Add warm liquid mixture to flour and yeast, add eggs
• Beat on low speed 30 seconds, beat on high 3 minutes
• Stir in rest of flour and knead 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic
• Allow dough to rise for an hour in a warm place
• Punch down and roll out on a clean counter top to create a rectangle shape that's about 1/4 inch thick
• Cut dough into 4″x4″ squares
• Add large spoonful of filling to each square (I flatten the individual squares a bit more before adding filling)
• Bring up the four corners of wrapper and pinch together
• Place balls seam-side down on a baking stone or tray and allow to rise 30 minutes
• Bake at 375 F degrees 30 minutes or until golden brown
• Serve warm with a generous dollop of sour cream on the side

RUNZAS

Steps:

• First, make the filling: Chop onions and garlic and sauté in a large frying pan with a little butter or olive oil until tender.
• Add ground beef along with generous amounts of salt and pepper and cook through, then drain well, if needed. (This will depend on how fatty the beef is.)
• Put browned ground beef into a large pot (I like to use my Crock pot). Stir in cabbage and kraut and simmer 3-4 hours, stirring often, and seasoning and tasting. (If using a Crock pot, cook on "low" for 5 to 6 hours.)
• Now to make dough: Stir the yeast into the warm water.
• In a large bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and eggs. Beat in eggs, then stir in yeast mixture.
• Add flours quickly one cup at a time, stirring well after each cup. (I use my Bosch mixer for this step.)
• When the dough begins to pull away from the side of the mixing bowl, turn out onto a lightly-floured countertop and incorporate remaining flour by kneading. Knead 100 strokes until the dough is elastic and smooth. (Kneading can be omitted but this will make the dough nicer to handle, and with an improved texture.)
• Let rest in a covered bowl one hour or until doubled in size.
• Cut off golf ball sized pieces. Lightly flour countertop and roll out each piece.
• Fill each circle of dough with approximately 1/2 cup of filling, and optional cheese if desired. Pull edges of dough around the filling and pinch tightly. Place on a sheet of parchment on a sheet pan, or a 9x13" pan. Or any pan that you like, actually.
• Preheat oven to 375 while allowing runzas to rest for 30 minutes. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until approaching golden.
• Swash with melted butter and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden. Serve while hot. Urge caution! The filling will be very hot.

RUNZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Measure 1-3/4 cup flour.
• Add yeast, lard, sugar, milk, water, and salt.
• Mix.
• Add eggs.
• Stir in remaining flour.
• Knead 10 minutes; cover; let rise until double. This takes about 1 hour. Now you can go to other runza recipes and use this dough to wrap around the fillings.
• These are great.

WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Whisk together the flours, flaxseed meal and salt. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut in 1/3 cup vegetable shortening to the texture of a fine meal. Cut in the remaining 1/3 cup shortening to larger pieces, about the size of small peas. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice water over the mixture and gently combine with a fork or a wooden spoon. Sprinkle another 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water and bring together gently in a ball. Wrap in wax paper and chill until use. When ready to use, roll one disk out to a 1/2-inch thickness and place into desired pie plate.

WHOLE WHEAT RUNZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Add 2 cups of the flour and the yeast to the bowl of your kitchenaid mixer with the dough hook and mix well.
• Heat the milk, sugar, butter and salt to between 115 and 120 degrees.
• Add the warm mixture to the flour mixture and mix well.
• Add the eggs and mix for 5 minutes.
• Add 1/2 a cup of flour at a time mixing after each addition until a ball forms.
• Knead for 8 minutes using the mixer.
• Grease a bowl and add the dough ball.
• Cover and place in a warm spot.
• Allow to rise until double in size. About 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and recover.
• Allow to rise for 10 minutes.
• Divide the dough into managable sections.
• Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
• Cut into 4 inch by 4 inch squares.
• Fill with desired fillings.
• Bring the opposite ends together and pinch together. Pinch together the seams so that the filling doesn't leak out.
• Allow to rise for 30 minutes.
• Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden.

RIP ROARING RUNZAS (AKA CORNHUSKER CALZONES)

Steps:

• Brown the ground beef, bulk sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium high heat.
• Drain the fat, then add the cabbage, mustard, salt and pepper.
• Saute until the cabbage is tender (about 5 to 8 minutes).
• Add the cheeses and caraway seeds and stir over the heat until the cheese is melted (taste-test for seasoning).
• Divide the bread dough into eighteen (18) equal pieces.
• Flatten each piece of dough into a round disk.
• Pile about 1/4 cup (maximum) of filling onto the center of each dough disk and then pinch edges together to form a stuffed round bun (I also like to make crescent shapes by folding one side of the the circle over the filling and pinching it).
• Lay them, pinched-side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Let dough rise for one (1) hour.
• Brush them with a little milk or melted butter and sprinkle with some kosher salt and caraway seeds.
• Bake at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Sauerkraut can be used in place of the cabbage.
• These can easily be individually frozen and reheated in the microwave oven or conventional oven.

RUNZA BREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• soften yeast in liquid; add rest of the ingredients. (All done in one bowl).
• Knead together and let rise to double in bulk.
• Punch down and let rise again.
• Turn out on board and divide dough. roll half of dough at a time to about three-eights inch thickness.
• Cut into squares about 5 or 6 inches.
• Place portion of filling in center of squares and bring corners together.
• Pinch openings tight.
• Turn pinched side onto lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Let sit for about 20 minutes.
• Bake at 400F for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Rub melted butter on top and place on rack and cover. (tip, dissolve yeast in a warm liquid, about 100F, or it will deactivate the yeast).