Korean Bulgogi Meets German Comfort Food
Bierocks – a seasoned meaty insides along with a savory bread crust on the outside, this dish is mobile, delicious and a solid member of the comfort food group. What if we were to take this classic treat and inject some Korean influence? The answer, my friends is DELICIOUSNESS!
Things to know:
What are the ingredients in bierock?
In a traditional bierock, ingredients include a yeast dough and a filling. The dough is typically made with all-purpose flour, milk, sugar, butter, salt, and eggs, while the filling consists of ground beef, cabbage, and onion. Some recipes also add ingredients like sauerkraut, cheese, garlic, or caraway seeds. For this recipe, we replaced the plain old ground beef with ground beef cooked in a bulgogi sauce and added kimchi.
Are bierocks and runzas the same thing?
Runzas are an adaptation of Bierocks and have their roots in Eastern European cuisine, particularly from the Volga German community. These were German immigrants who settled in Russia during the 18th century and later brought their culinary traditions to the United States, especially to areas like Nebraska and Kansas, where half of the Galley of the Sun team come from! Runzas are typically rectangular while bierocks are round.
How long do bierocks take to cook?
Cooking takes far less time than making them, even if you are not making your own bread, like in this recipe. About 30 minutes in a 350F oven should produce beautiful golden bierocks!
Can you use pizza dough to make bierocks?
For a shortcut you can also use ready made bread/pizza dough from the store like we do in this recipe. They freeze well so go ahead and make a double batch while you’re at it!
Is Runza Polish or German?
Many sources agree that Sally Everett, who is credited with the creation of the runza, invented the name “runza” although it is likely she adapted it from an existing name for the sandwich; either the krautrunz, an older, different German name for the bierock, or the Low German runsa, meaning “belly”, alluding to the gently rounded shape of the pouch pastry.
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
6 T soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar [white sugar ok]
2 T honey [ 2 t sugar is also ok ]
1/4 cup mirin
2 T sesame oil
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 t MSG
2 T chopped green onion
1/4 cup Asian pear, puree
4 cups cabbage finely cut
1 medium onions, finely diced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 bags Rhodes rolls
kimchi (optional)
additional sesame seeds to top the bierocks
1/2 stick of melted butter
1. On a large baking sheet, coat the sheet with cooking spray, then lay the rolls out, leaving about an inch around each one. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray to prevent roll stockage and allow the rolls to thaw and double in size (3-5 hours).
2. Remove the wrap and attempt to save it for the next proofing period.
3. Flatten each rolls, then combine it with another roll, then form a 2 roll ball and place it on the baking sheet. Cover the double rolls with the plastic wrap and allow to rise for another hour.
4. Mix together the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, sesame oil, garlic, black pepper, sesame seeds, green onion and shredded pear in a bowl. Set aside.
5. Add the ground beef to a large skillet on medium high heat and begin to brown, breaking up the ground beef as you go.
6. When the ground beef is about 50% cooked, add the sauce you mixed together previously.
7. When the ground beef is fully cooked, remove it from the skillet and set is aside, leaving the sauce in the skillet.
8. Add the onions and cabbage and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the veggies are slightly caramelized.
9. Add the beef back to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow to cool. (Steps 4-10 can be done the night before to allow more time for the flavors to mingle and meld.)
11. Roll a dough ball out until is is about 1/4” thick. It should be about 4” x 4”.
12. Place 3ish T of filling into the center of each square. (Add a spoonful of kimchi if using).
13. Bring the 2 opposite corners of the dough square up to meet, then do the other 2 corners and pinch together to seal. Keeping your fingers wet with water will assist in sealing the bierocks. Repeat until you run out of rolls or filling.
14. Set the bierocks on a baking sheet and allow them to rise for 30 minutes.
15. Brush the bierocks with the melted butter and top with a few sesame seeds.
16. Cook in the oven at 350F for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve and ENJOY!
Equipment used:
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