Runzas II (Bierocks)

Ground beef, onions, and cabbage wrapped in bread dough and then baked. Can be made smaller and served as an appetizer. We called these sandwiches Bierocks. I assume they must have originated in Europe and each country has a name for them. I have heard them called Runzas also. They really are simple. I have found that I cannot substitute anything for the MSG. They just lose the flavor. If your ground beef is too lean, these tend to be dry. I sometimes add cheese to them to offset this problem. I have also added fennel seed, about 1 teaspoon, although the recipe does not call for it.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 371 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• ½ pound ground beef
• 4 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 (1 pound) loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
• ½ teaspoon monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• 1 small onion, diced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Divide thawed bread dough into 6 pieces and roll into balls. Saute onion in a large saucepan until browned; add beef and cook until beef loses its red color (overcooking beef will cause Runzas to be very dry). Stir in cabbage and MSG, cover and steam until cabbage is wilted.

Step 3

Remove beef/cabbage mixture from heat and let cool. Roll each dough ball into a 5 x 5 inch square. Fill center of each square with about 1/2 cup of beef mixture. Bring opposite corners of dough square together and seal. Place smooth-side-down on a lightly greased cookie sheet and flatten slightly.

Step 4

Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and butter top of each pastry as soon as they come out of the oven.