Home » All Recipes » Savory » Main Dishes » How to Make Bierocks
by Baker BettieAugust 14, 2018
A bierock, also known as a runza, is a soft yeast roll stuffed with ground meat, cabbage, and onions. This dish can be made by making homemade yeast dough or utilizing frozen dinner rolls.Pin it for Later »
Bierock Recipe Overview
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Techniques Used: Modified Straight Dough Method
- Components Used: Master Enriched Yeast Dough Recipe
What is a Bierock (aka Runza)?
A bierock, also known as a runza, is a ground meat, cabbage, and onion filled yeast roll. Growing up in Kansas this was a common dish served in the area and it is also popular in Nebraska due to the population of German Mennonite.
Bierock can be made with or without cheese and are commonly served with mustard as a dipping sauce. The ground meat is traditionally beef, but other ground meats can also be used. It is also common to substitute the shredded cabbage for sauerkraut in a bierock.
How to Make Bierock with Frozen Rolls
Traditional bierocks are made with a homemade soft yeast roll dough. Below you will find a full tutorial for how to make them from scratch. However, bierocks can also be made using a frozen yeast roll or some people even make them with store bought biscuit dough.
To make bierocks with frozen rolls, you must make sure that the frozen yeast rolls you have purchased are raw. Thaw the rolls completely according to the package instructions and proceed with the recipe starting with preparing the filling.
How to Make Bierock (Runza) from Scratch
To make bierocks from scratch you will make a soft yeast dough. I love using my master enriched dough recipe for these, which is also the same recipe for my soft dinner rolls. While the dough is rising, you will then make the meat filling for the bierocks.
Make the Bread Dough
- STEP 1: Hydrate the yeast in the warm milk and set aside.
- STEP 2: Mix the fat, sugar, salt, and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
- STEP 3: Stir the eggs into the mixing bowl.
- STEP 4: Stir the milk/yeast mixture into the mixing bowl.
- STEP 5: Stir in the flour until it is all hydrated.
- STEP 6: Knead the dough by hand or in a stand mixer with a dough attachment. Knead until your dough is smooth and elastic.
- STEP 7: Cover the dough and allow it to rise until double in size.
Make the Beef & Cabbage Filling
- STEP 8: Saute the onions and garlic in a large skillet or dutch oven until translucent and starting to get some color.
- STEP 9: Add the ground beef and saute until cooked through.
- STEP 10: Add the cabbage and salt to the pot. It will look like too much cabbage but it will wilt down considerably.
- STEP 11: Allow the filling to cool for at least 10 minutes.
Assemble & Bake the Bierocks
- STEP 12: Divide the yeast dough into 12 equal pieces.
- STEP 13: Roll out a piece to 1/8″ thick and fill with meat (and cheese if using). Pull the edges of the bierock up and pinch to seal.
- STEP 14: Cover the bierocks to rise while the oven preheats.
- STEP 15: Bake until golden brown. Brush with melted butter when they come out of the oven.
Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
- The yeast dough can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. If you do this, put it in the refrigerator right after it has been kneaded. Take it out of the refrigerator when you start preparing the filling.
- Start with the minimum amount of flour suggested for the yeast dough. It will likely need a little more, but begin kneading the dough for a bit of time before adding more. It will become less sticky as it is kneaded. This should be a very soft dough.
- Bierocks freeze incredibly well. You can either freeze them raw, or freeze them fully cooked. I prefer to freeze cooked bierocks because they reheat perfectly.
MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like to try these other delicious dinner recipes.
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Homemade Philly Cheesesteak
Yield: 12 Bierocks
Bierock (Runza) Recipe
Prep Time1 hour 45 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
This is a recipe for how to make homemade bierocks (runza). This recipe includes a homemade yeast dough for the bierocks but it can be substituted with frozen rolls if you prefer.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup (237 ml) whole milk (lower fat milk can be substituted)
- 1 package (7 gr, or 2 1/2 tsp) active dry or quick rise yeast
- 1/4 cup (49 gr) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (73 gr) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 1/4 tsp (6 gr) kosher salt or table salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 4 - 4 1/2 cups (476 - 535 gr) all-purpose flour
For the Filling
- 1 tbsp cooking oil of choice
- 1 medium onion, small diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound (455 gr) ground beef (85-90% lean)
- 4 cups of shredded green cabbage (about 10 oz)
- 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- black pepper
- 4 oz (112 gr) shredded cheese of choice (I like a sharp cheddar)
Instructions
Make the Yeast Dough
- HYDRATE THE YEAST:Warm the milk to about 110-115 F (43-46 C). This can be done on the stove top or in the microwave. It should take about 30-45 seconds in the microwave. Make sure the milk is not too hot or it will kill the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and stir it together.
- COMBINE THE FAT & SUGAR: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the cooled butter, sugar, and salt with a spoon or a rubber spatula.
- ADD THE EGGS:Stir in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding the next.
- ADD THE MILK/YEAST: Stir in the milk/yeast mixture.
- ADD THE FLOUR: Stir in 4 cups of the flour until it is all hydrated. The dough will be shaggy at this point.
- KNEAD:This dough can be kneaded by hand or with the dough hook of a stand mixer. If kneading by hand, lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough for about 6-7 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. The dough will be very sticky to start, but will become less sticky as it is kneaded. If kneading in the stand mixer, knead at medium/high speed for about 5 minutes, stopping about halfway through to scrape the bottom of the bowl. If needed, add more flour while kneading until you have a soft dough.
- FERMENT:Lightly spray the dough with oil and cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap. Let it ferment at room temperature until double in size. This will take about 30-45 minutes if you used quick rise yeast and 1-2 hours if active dry yeast was used. A warm spot will speed up the fermentation time.
Note: If you want to use frozen rolls instead of making your dough, defrost 12 of them completely according to the package instructions.
Make the Bierock Filling
- COOK ONIONS: Heat your cooking oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium/high heat. Cook the diced onions and minced garlic for about 3 minutes, until the onions become translucent and are beginning to take on some color.
- COOK THE MEAT: Add the ground beef to the pot and cook, breaking up the meat with your spoon, until the meat is cooked through.
- ADD THE CABBAGE: Add the cabbage and 1 tsp salt to the pan. It will look like too much but it will wilt down considerably. Saute until the cabbage completely wilts down, about 3-4 more minutes.
- SEASON: Taste the mixture and add black pepper and more salt to taste. Allow the mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes before filling the bierocks.
Assemble the Bierocks
- DIVIDE THE DOUGH: Gently press down on the middle of the yeast dough to deflate it, and then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 12 even pieces. You can do this by eyeballing it or if you would like to weigh the pieces out they should be about 83-85 grams each.
- FILL THE BIEROCKS: Roll each piece of dough to about 1/8" thick. If using, place about 2 tbsp shredded cheese on the dough and then top with a generous 1/3 cup of filling. It may look like too much filling but the dough will stretch to close. Bring the corners of the dough up to the center and pinch to seal like a little purse. Place the filled bierocks on parchment lined baking sheets.
- PROOF THE BIEROCKS: Cover the prepared bierocks with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) .
- BAKE THE BIEROCKS: Uncover the bierocks and bake in a 350 F (177 C) oven for 30 minutes, until the bierocks are golden brown. If desired, brush the baked bierocks with melted butter. Serve with mustard or sauce of choice.
Notes
- To Freeze Raw Bierocks: Place in the freezer on a sheet tray once the bierocks are filled. When frozen solid, transfer to a freezer ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature on a sheet pan. Cover the bierocks with plastic wrap while thawing. This should take about 2 hours. Bake as directed.
- To Freeze Baked Bierocks: Allow to cool completely. Freeze in a freezer ziplock bag or wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Freeze for up to 6 months. Reheat in a 325 F (162 C) oven for 20 minutes, until warmed through.
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Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 300
All Recipes Main Dishes Savory
77 commentsLeave a Comment »
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Kylee —Reply
Thanks for the recipe and detailed instructions. Made these yesterday and they could be the best thing ever! I bake alot, but bread is my nemesis. These worked perfectly.
Kristin "Baker Bettie" Hoffman —Reply
That makes me so happy Kylee! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Twyla stephens —Reply
I’m so embarrassed! I don’t know if I can even ask this….
Ok…deep breath. How do you pronounce these? Is it Beer Rocks? Which of course it does…but maybe it’s Buyer Rocks? Or maybe Rocks don’t have anything to do with it.
I’m hopeless to try making these scrumptious looking beauties until I know how to say it. But I think I’d love them. Please help!Kristin "Baker Bettie" Hoffman —Reply
Hi Twyla! You are correct, it is “beer-rock!” Let me know if you make them and how they turn out!
Twyla —Reply
These are REALLY wonderful! I made the dough up last night and that helped a lot on time. Once we got home this afternoon I set it out to warm up and assemble them. Well, mine don’t look as beautiful as yours. I have different sizes….I was clumsy and got some filling on the dough…but …they taste just fantastic! Thanks for teaching me something new! I’ll definitely be making these again!
Oh and we tried mustard on the first one…but nixed it after that because the flavor of the dough is special enough on its own. Wonderful!
Kristin "Baker Bettie" Hoffman —Reply
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Twyla! That is so great to hear! The are one of my favorite things.
Jessie Horn —Reply
When it comes to baking, I’m all about precision and your site is amazing! Finally a place with tons of recipes that are detailed and answer every question I have. And you have so many recipes to choose from. Thank you!!!
My mom made these “cabbage buns” when I was growing up and your recipe is just the precision I need. Only thing I did different was used 75% whole wheat flourKristin "Baker Bettie" Hoffman —Reply
Hi Jessie! I’m so glad you enjoy my site! Making these with wheat flour sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
Lori Spaidal —Reply
Can I use red cabbage?
Bettie —Reply
Absolutely! Hope you enjoy it!
Meldy —Reply
If I want to freeze raw bierocks, do I freeze them immediately after they are assembled or do I let it rise for 30 minutes before freezing them?
Bettie —Reply
Hi Meldy, I prefer freezing them after they are baked and slightly under baking them. Then refresh in the oven at 325 until warmed through and browned. Freezing raw yeast dough can be tricky. If you want to try that, you need to avoid waking up the yeast too much or you risk killing it once frozen. Here’s what I would suggest. Make the dough with cool not warm water. After you have kneaded the dough let it rest for only about 10 minutes to relax the dough and then shape and fill them. Do not let the dough rise. Lay them on a sheet pan and freeze them flat and then you can transfer them to a ziplock once frozen. Pull them out of the freezer 24 hours before you want to serve them and put them on a parchment lined baking sheet covered with greased plastic wrap. Let them thaw in the refrigerator for about 20-22 hours. Then pull them out of the fridge to proof 2 hours before baking. Please note, I have not actually tested this with these. This is just my best estimate with what I know about how yeast dough works.
Desiree Larson —Reply
I have made my grandmas and these using frozen Rhodes was a lot easier and quicker. But there was something missing from the recipe. Couldn’t put my finger on it, I had lost my grandmas cookbook and would have looked to see what it was. But they were still good
Bettie —Reply
Hi Desiree! So glad you enjoyed these so much! They are definitely a family favorite around here!
Windfall Cottage —Reply
This is a great recipe. I’ve made it a few times. I love that I can freeze some and warm them up for a quick dinner. Wonderful dough. You can be creative with the filling. Thank you!
Bettie —Reply
I do that too! I’m so glad you enjoy them!
Lance K. Mertz —Reply
I have these in the oven as I type this, but I had extra filling so I made soft tacos for me and my wife. I added mushrooms to the filling and used pepper jack cheese. The filling is great by itself, but with the bread it should be better. Now, what else can I fill these with? Asada beef, pork chili verde, BBQ beef, caramelized onions and mushrooms? The opportunities are endless….
Bettie —Reply
Hi Lance! I love all of your ideas of filling for these! Yes, they are super versatile. My husbands favorite is a cheesesteak filling! I hope you enjoyed them!
Tamara —Reply
Great recipe…. the dough was perfect…. and the filling is so easy to add seasonings to in whatever way to make it your own. Great comfort food!!
Cheryl —Reply
Oh wonderful! My grandmother used to make these. She called them pierogies, bierocks or German hamburgers. I used to be in awe of her when she was making these. Now my great neices and nephews can experience the same thing. Thanks so much for sharing this with us ❤️
Bettie —Reply
Hi Cheryl,
You’re welcome! I love that these have a family history with you. Let me know how they turn out!
Katie —Reply
Thank You, we love Bierocks and tried your recipe yesterday. I doubled the recipe and made the dough in my kitchenaid. The dough is WONDERFUL! So easy to work with. The filling easily made the double recipe and was equally as wonderful. Was happy to share with family. Thank you again, this will be my go to recipe. A+
Franka —Reply
Thanks for the recipe! I grew up eating and loving these. My dad used to say the more garlic the better. Yours was the only recipe I could find that had garlic. I knew it had to have the garlic and just needed the garlic ratio. My family cools the baked bierocks, line up on sheet pan, freeze, then transfer to ziplock bags for easy access. Best warmed in oven but microwave works in a pinch.
Linda Hudson —Reply
I was wondering if I could deep fat these rolls like a doughnut and then fill them and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. I recently bought some at a large grocery store and they were called bierocks and they make them just once a year near Ash Wednesday. They were filled
with cherry, lemon, white filling, apple. Some were sprinkled with granulated sugar.Vie —Reply
It’s nice and fluffy. Thank you so muchhh.
David Robinson —Reply
Made these last night. Dough was perfect even for a bread machine. Store was out of cabbage and sauerkraut. Filling changed to: Onions, diced (small) carrots, hamburger, and then a slight amount of sauce made from Irish curry – just enough to coat everything. Came out amazing
Julie —Reply
I want to triple this recipe – anything special I need to do with the dough preparation?
Amanda Dedrick —Reply
Wondering if I could make this dough in my bread maker? Anyone try this?
Chelsea Norrgård —Reply
I had never heard of these before, but I made them last night and they were sooooooo good! The recipe is very well written and they were much less complicated to make than I anticipated. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Lauren —Reply
This looks really delicious! So could you please give suggestions for what I could use instead of the meat in this recipe? (She says with tongue hanging out)
See AlsoMom's Frog Eye Salad RecipeBaker Bettie —Reply
Lentils would be perfect!
Dallas Schmidt —Reply
I have made Bierocks multiple times over the years but this is the best recipe I’ve ever found. The filling is simple and delicious but I think the real secret is the dough. I’ve tried others, including the bought frozen rolls. This dough is so pliable and easy to work with that there is no reason to try any other. I doubled the recipe and ended up having a little dough left over so I used our favorite hot dogs that I had in the refrigerator and made Pigs in the Blanket stuffed w cheese. They were equally delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Baker Bettie —Reply
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed them!
Baker Bettie —Reply
Yum! I’m so glad you like them!
KRISTINE VAUGHN —Reply
Can these be reheated individually in the microwave? If so, how long?
Baker Bettie —Reply
Yes, they can. Coming from the fridge, I would microwave for 1 minute per bierock and going from there.
Jen —Reply
I’m making these as I type. Waiting for the Rhodes Frozen Rolls to thaw. I have bought cabbage 2x over the last few months and intended to do these, but tried something new. It was time to visit an old favorite. I add red pepper flakes to mine or use a little spicy sausage with the beef. I like heat!
I brush mine with a little egg white to give them a shine and a light sprinkle of sea salt and then brush with butter when they come out. Waiting is the hardest part… ⏲️Baker Bettie —Reply
Sounds perfect! I like a little spice as well.
DK Fladager —Reply
I love Bierocks. I use Pam’s bierock recipe and it turns out perfect. I have extra cabbage and I wonder if I can make the ground beef/cabbage, cook it, and then freeze that til a later date when I will make the bierocks? I have quite a few made ones in the freezer already and am out of space to make more.
Carol —Reply
Loved your bierocks! This is my second time making them and the first time using your recipe. Your dough recipe is great! I made several large ones rather than the 12 small, making them more “sandwich size”. I still have to practice a bit with forming the bierocks, but the outcome was great! I made a creamy horseradish sauce to go along with the bierocks, and also served with a side of Russian potato salad. This was my first BakerBettie recipe – looking forward to trying more! (PS … I had a bit of dough leftover and made around a dozen mini cinnamon/cardamom rolls.)
Baker Bettie —Reply
Yum! That all sounds so good. I’m glad you found my site!
Diane —Reply
Hi Betty,
Is there any change in your recipe for Bierocks at 83,00 ft in altitude? We are in Granby, Co.
Thank you,
DianeCarri —Reply
So. So. Perfect. I’ve tried many runza recipes and my husband and I agree that this is the best one! We won’t be making any different runzas from here on out.
Baker Bettie —Reply
I’m so glad!
Shelly —Reply
Does the dough recipe work for dinner rolls?
Steve —Reply
Would bread flour be a good substitute? I keep a lot around for pizza crusts.
Baker Bettie —Reply
Yes, that would work for these!
Robin Bear —Reply
I’ll be making these this week. If I freeze some do I need to defrost before reheating them in the oven or do I place them in the oven frozen? BTW, I just preordered your cookbook and can’t wait until it arrives! Good luck!
Baker Bettie —Reply
Thanks for ordering the book! You can bake them straight from frozen!
M —Reply
Hi – We have enjoyed every recipe I’ve made from your emails and will be making the Bierocks for a second time. They were a huge hit when I made them 6 months ago. Thanks for all the good recipes and tip.
Greg Radina —Reply
great content. all the ads are distracting. An ad or two is understandable but this is overkill.
Marie E Bennett —Reply
Deeeelicious bun!!! I have Never made a delicate yet sturdy bun. We used shredded pork, onions , cheese and a bit of sauteed fresh spinach instead of beef. And halved the recipe, except the yeast, we used 2 t . Will be our new go to recipe. Yummy!!
Baker Bettie —Reply
So glad you liked it!
Andy —Reply
They turned out great. Add some butter in the final minutes of baking, and a Lil while cooling. Eating with some Japanese mayo. I just need to work on my ball making, had a thick bottom. Freezing most of them, csnt wait to see how they reheat.
Baker Bettie —Reply
Glad you liked them! They’re perfect for reheating!
Larna —Reply
Thank you so much for your information it helped greatly
Baker Bettie —Reply
I’m glad!
Lindsey —Reply
Very excited to try this. I was wondering if the dough recipe doubles or triples well?
Baker Bettie —Reply
It does!
Ngwoke clifford —Reply
Wow mum i love this, i will try it, so hw is ur family doing
Tyla —Reply
I have made these 3 times and they have turned out perfectly. My husband loves them as do I!
Baker Bettie —Reply
I love that!
Chanty —Reply
I was born in Nebraska and my mom moved us to the west coast when I was young and Runza’s are the only food I remember and dearly miss! 1st place I stop on my trips back home! I have made these through the yrs but have never used sourdough before!! I will be making these Gluten-free for my family and can’t wait to use this recipe!! Thank you it sounds delicious
Sarah —Reply
PLEASE; How much is 4 oz shredded cheese.
After opening a pouch/sm. brick you NEVER know how much there is.
All measures are in same except for the cheese.
Pls answer today 8-12-23How much cheese.
Thank youBaker Bettie —Reply
4 ounces of cheese is 1 cup. Your package should say how many ounces it is.
Thanks,
Kelly
Jami Jaramillo —Reply
Do you know how I could adapt the dough to use sourdough starter instead of yeast?
Becky —Reply
Made these this weekend they were good! Didn’t have cabbage so made without. Added oregano, dried mustard, andWorcestershire sauce because the filling seemed a little bland to my Colorado tastebuds. I used frozen roll dough because I had it on hand. Next time I will add sauerkraut.
I also think tiny cubed potatoes, and/ or carrots would be good with the meat.Baker Bettie —Reply
What great ideas! I hope you enjoyed it.
Amanda —Reply
Fellow Kansas native here…I have my mom’s recipe for bierocks but always struggled with the bread part. I have made your lard biscuits in the past so when I saw Baker Bettie had a bierock recipe, I had to try it. The bread dough came together so well and the bierocks turned out great! No blowouts. One trick I’ve learned is to make the filling, add the cheese while still warm, and then put the mixture in a sheet pan (like a jelly roll pan). Pack it in there like you are making Rice Krispie treats. Then when you make your bierocks, you cut the filling into little squares that are easy to fold the dough around. Bake like normal!
Rachel —Reply
I saw your TikTok video and then made these for the first time today for a family dinner. They turned out perfect and everyone loved them. Thanks so much for posting the recipe and the video!
Brian —Reply
I made these the traditional way with your recipe and we loved them. I have since made them changing up the filling, one was for breakfast and the other was ham, broccoli, onion, and cheese. Both turned out so good. Thank you!
Baker Bettie —Reply
Awesome! A breakfast version sounds great.
NORA ROSS —Reply
Hello! Will be making these tomorrow. Can I omit the sugar?
Bertha —Reply
This is the third time I have made these in less than a month! Tonight my husband is hosting DnD for a few friends, last time these were a hit. Thank you for the recipe.
I did have to add one more cup of flour and I added Chile de arbol about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp to the meat mixture for a bit of a kick along the with Smokey Chipotle Boullion for extra yummy flavor
Regardless these are my absolute FAV!
Diane Buchanan —Reply
I made these today and they were a huge hit! My only problem was the flour. My flour must have had a little different absorption rate because my dough was a not sticky at all and I didn’t add all the amount called for. The rolls turned out amazing anyway. I only changed on thing on the cabbage mixture. I added a little granular beef base instead of salt. It added more flavor. All in all, the best recipe I’ve used yet. I will definitely be making these regularly.
Mirandah —Reply
How long do these take to bake
Baker Bettie —Reply
For about 30 minutes in a 350F oven. You can find the baking instructions in the recipe.
