Spicy Beef and Cheddar Buns (Runzas )

Spicy Beef and Cheddar Buns (Runzas )

Immigrants to the Central Plains
from Germany, Russia, and Luxembourg
and those of Mennonite
heritage all claim to have introduced
the stuffed pastry known
commonly as the runza (bierock
to the Mennonites, krautbrot or
krautrunzen to the Volga Germans
from Russia). Regardless of the
origin, this pie was made as a
hearty, portable lunch for workers
in the field. A fast food chain that
originated in Lincoln, Nebraska, in
1949 registered Runza as a proprietary
name in 1966, but the
pie is commonly called a runza,
whether it comes from the restaurant
or not. Some variations
include sauerkraut versus green
cabbage and onions; no cheese;
and caraway seeds in the filling or
sprinkled on top of the bun before
baking.

C H E F N O T E S
Frozen crescent roll dough,
ready-made bread dough, or prepared
packaged yeast roll mix
can be used as a quick substitute
for making dough.Caraway seeds
may be added to the filling when
cooking the cabbage or they can
be sprinkled over the outside of
the dough after brushing with an
egg wash instead of the melted
butter. Drained sauerkraut (do
not rinse) can be substituted for
the cabbage.

PASTRY DOUGH: MAKES THIRTY-TWO 3-INCH
[8-CM] CIRCLES
1⁄2 teaspoon [3 mL] active dry yeast
1 tablespoon [15 mL] warm water (110°F [45°C])
1⁄4 cup [60 mL] sugar
3⁄4 cup [180 mL] warm milk (120°F [50°C])
1⁄4 cup [60 mL] unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 to 3 cups [480 to 720 mL] bread flour
1⁄2 teaspoon [3 mL] salt
1⁄4 teaspoon [1 mL] garlic powder

F I L L I N G : MAKES ENOUGH FOR 32 PASTRIES
3 tablespoons [45 mL] lard or vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound [450 g] beef chuck, handminced or ground
4 cups [960 mL] green cabbage, shredded
1⁄2 teaspoon [3 mL] coarsely ground black pepper
11⁄2 tablespoons [25 mL] coarse-grained mustard
2 to 3 dashes of hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon [5 mL] Worcestershire sauce
Salt to taste
4 ounces [110 g] cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons [30 mL] melted butter, for brushing the tops (optional)

A D V A N C E P R E P A R A T I O N
1. All advance preparation may be found in the ingredient list.

P R E P A R A T I O N O F T H E D O U G H
2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with a pinch of the sugar
in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Add the milk, melted butter, and egg to the yeast mixture and
mix well.

4. Mix the sugar, flour, salt, and garlic powder together and add
to the yeast mixture. Stir to incorporate.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead
for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
6. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl. Cover and allow to rise
until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
7. Punch the dough down and allow to rise a second time.
P R E P A R A T I O N O F T H E F I L L I N G
8. Heat 2 tablespoons [30 mL] of the lard or oil in a nonstick
skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until soft. Add
the garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.
9. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of lard or oil and the beef
and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until
lightly browned.
10. Add the cabbage and cook for 7 minutes more.
11. Stir in the black pepper, mustard, hot pepper sauce, and
Worcestershire sauce. Adjust the seasoning with salt. Cook
for 8 minutes more. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
12. Stir in the cheese.
P R E P A R A T I O N O F T H E R U N Z A S
13. On a lightly floured surface divide the dough into 32 balls.
Roll each ball into a 3-inch [8-cm] circle.
14. Place 2 tablespoons [30 mL] of the filling in the center of
each circle. Fold the edges over and seal with the tines of
a fork.
15. Place the unbaked runzas, seam side down, on a parchmentlined
baking sheet and allow to rise in a warm spot for
20 minutes.
16. Bake at 350°F [175°C] for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden
brown. Brush the tops with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter,
if desired.

S E R V I C E
17. Serve each person 3 buns, preferably warm and right from
the oven.

C H E F N O T E S
Frozen crescent roll dough,
ready-made bread dough, or prepared
packaged yeast roll mix
can be used as a quick substitute
for making dough.Caraway seeds
may be added to the filling when
cooking the cabbage or they can
be sprinkled over the outside of
the dough after brushing with an
egg wash instead of the melted
butter. Drained sauerkraut (do
not rinse) can be substituted for
the cabbage.