Little known outside Nebraska, the Runza is the state’s official sandwich.  The name Runza was created by Sally Brening Everett who, along with her brother, created first Runza Drive Inn restaurant in Lincoln, NE in 1949.  Her version of the name is thought to come from either an alternate name for the sandwich the “krautrunz” or lower German dialect term of “runsa”, meaning “belly”. While they used their family recipe and coined the name Runza, the concept goes back further.  The origins of the sandwich are traced to the Volga Germans who were invited to Russia by Catherine the Great, a German princess who after taking the Russian throne, wanted to westernize Russia.  In the late 1700’s she enticed Germans to move to Russia with offers of free land and other enticements to settle along the Volga river to the southwest of Moscow. Once there, they adapted the Russian Pierogi to be a yeast bread filled with ground meat, onions, and cabbage. They called it a Bierock (bee-rock), very similar sounding to the Russian Pierog (pee-roag).  Due to growing Russian nationalism, many Volga Germans emigrated to the plain states of the U.S. in the 1870’s to take up farming of wheat and other crops they had previously farmed in Russia.  In addition to those crops, they brought with them the tasty Bierock, today often referred to as a Runza.

Yield:  16 Runzas (each approx. 6”x3”)

1 recipe Kolache dough (see separate recipe) or 4 lb. frozen bread dough from grocery store, thawed

1 lb. ground beef (80/20 blend preferred, avoid super lean blends)

1 medium onion, ¼” dice

1 lb. cabbage, finely shredded (or substitute drained sauerkraut)

3 tablespoons German seasoning blend (see separate recipe below)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/2 cup water (or beef stock)

Egg Wash

1 egg, beaten with 2 teaspoons water and a pinch of salt

Prepare kolache dough through first rising.  If using frozen bread dough, thaw the dough and proceed with assembly once filling is cooled.

Place a 12” skillet over medium-high heat.  Scatter a teaspoon of kosher salt across the bottom of the dry pan to prevent splattering as the meat cooks.  Add ground beef to the skillet and start to break up as it cooks.  As the meat begins to brown, add the diced onion and the cabbage and cover with a lid or foil to help steam and soften the cabbage.  Stir occasionally.  When the cabbage is wilted down and begins to soften, add the German seasoning blend and mix well.

When the cabbage and onion are well softened, sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir and cook over medium heat for about a minute.  Combine the cider vinegar and the water or beef stock.  Add to the pan, scraping bottom of pan to clean and cook to create a bit of a sauce-like consistency to help bind together the mixture.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Spread mixture in a baking pan or plate and refrigerate until chilled.  The filling must be cold when it’s wrapped in the dough or the dough will soften and tear.

Rolling and assembly:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (375 convection).

Dust counter lightly with flour.  Cut dough into quarters and work with one piece at a time.

Lightly dust the first piece of dough with flour.  Roll out into a rectangle that’s about 12” long and 10” wide.  Cut dough rectangle into quarters. 

Brush the perimeter of the dough with egg wash.  Spoon about 1/3 cup of the filling mixture lengthwise down the dough, leaving a 1” border on the short ends and about 1 ½” on each side.

Fold the short ends of dough up over the filling.  Fold each of the longer edges in toward the center.  Make sure the second long side overlaps the first.  Pinch the seam together and turn over on a parchment lined pan so that the seam-side is down.  Form the roll into an even shape, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the rolls with egg wash. Set aside for sandwiches to rise for about 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake at 400 degrees (375 convection) for 15 minutes.

German Seasoning Blend

Yield:  scant ½ cup

1 tablespoon caraway seed

1 tablespoon marjoram

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

½ teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoond ground ginger

Combine caraway seed, marjoram, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a small sauté pan.  Heat over medium-high heat, tossing frequently, until the mixture becomes fragrant.  Pour toasted spices into a spice grinder (coffee grinder used specifically for spices).  Add the remaining spices and blend until mixed and finely ground.  Store in an airtight container.

Variation: Bratwurst & Sauerkraut Filling

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 lb. bratwurst (preferably bulk, if available)

1 medium onion, diced 1/4″

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 15-oz. can Sauerkraut with Caraway Seed

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup Terrapin Farms Garlic Kraut Mustard *

Place a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, sprinkle the kosher salt across the bottom of the pan to minimize grease splattering. Using a paring knife, score the sides of the bratwurst and squeeze the sausage out of the casings into the pan. Sprinkle with black pepper and chop up into smaller pieces as the sausage cooks. Add the diced onions to the sausage and cook until onions are translucent and the sausage is cooked.

While the sausage is cooking, drain the sauerkraut into a strainer and press to remove excess liquid.

When the sausage is cooked, sprinkle the flour over the sausage mixture and cook, stirring, for a minute or two to remove the raw starchy taste. Combine the water with the garlic kraut mustard and pour into the sausage mixture, stirring to mix together. Spread filling out onto a small baking sheet or platter and place in refrigerator to cool.

*Substitution for Garlic Kraut mustard: replace the water in the recipe with juice drained from the sauerkraut and combine with 1/4 cup dijon mustard.