My mom is an amazing cook. I have so many happy memories of all the delicious food she made throughout the years. She was almost famous for her homemade rolls, but one of my favorite recipes she made was this bierocks recipe.
A Bit of Family History
My dad’s family is from Kansas, and a few of my growing up years were spent in a small Kansas Mennonite community. This recipe was very common in all of the church and local cookbooks there, but it was one of my dad’s sisters who originally shared the recipe with my mom.
I loved it when my mom would make bierocks! Something about the flavors of bread, meat, onions, and cabbage all blending together in a compact little roll. I thought it was one of the best things I’d ever eaten!
When I introduced bierocks to my husband, he also fell in love. And they’re a favorite of my children, too.
I believe Mom always used her delicious homemade white rolls recipe. I always use my whole wheat bread recipe.
Really any bread or roll recipe can be used, or you can buy the frozen Rhodes bread dough to make this recipe super simple!
Bierocks Recipe
The first step is to make the bread. I use my homemade whole wheat bread recipe that works well in a Bosch or other large mixer. Whatever dough I don’t need for the bierocks, I use to make loaves of bread or plain rolls.
Ingredients:
- Your favorite bread recipe (try my whole wheat dough), or Rhodes frozen bread dough
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped fine
- 1 large head of cabbage (about 2 lbs), shredded or chopped fine
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Directions:
1. Prepare bread dough according to your recipe or the package instructions. Set dough aside.
2. While dough is rising, prepare the filling. In a large skillet, brown beef. Add shredded cabbage, onions, salt, and pepper.
3. Simmer slowly until cabbage is soft. If mixture seems too dry, you can add water until moist.
4. Roll dough thin and cut into 5″ squares (or, do as I do and just pinch off the amount you want!). Place one square of dough in open palm of left hand, stretching slightly as needed.
5. Place a large kitchen spoonful of meat and cabbage in center of dough.
6. Fold ends over or pinch edges together. Seal by pinching.
7. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet or shallow pan, folded sides down. I always let the rolls rise for about 20 minutes before baking, but it depends on the recipe you’re using.
8. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes or until brown. I like to brush the tops with melted butter.
They’re so delicious straight out of the oven! I always make extras to freeze for later. They make a great quick dinner or easy snack.
Printable Recipe
Bierocks Recipe
Ingredients
- Your favorite bread recipe try my whole wheat dough, or Rhodes frozen bread dough
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion chopped fine
- 1 large head of cabbage about 2 lbs, shredded or chopped fine
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Prepare bread dough according to your recipe or the package instructions. Set dough aside.
- While dough is rising, prepare the filling. In a large skillet, brown beef. Add shredded cabbage, onions, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer slowly until cabbage is soft. If mixture seems too dry, you can add water until moist.
- Roll dough thin and cut into 5" squares (or, do as I do and just pinch off the amount you want!). Place one square of dough in open palm of left hand, stretching slightly as needed.
- Place a large kitchen spoonful of meat and cabbage in center of dough.
- Fold ends over or pinch edges together. Seal by pinching.
- Place on lightly greased cookie sheet or shallow pan, folded sides down. I always let the rolls rise for about 20 minutes before baking, but it depends on the bread recipe you're using.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes or until brown. I like to brush the tops with melted butter.
- They're so delicious straight out of the oven! I always make extras to freeze for later. They make a great quick dinner or easy snack.
Have you ever tried bierocks before? Any fellow bierocks-lovers out there? 🙂
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here. Sharing here.
One of my closest friends grew up Mennonite, and probably 25 years ago, she introduced me to these, but they anglicized it. I only knew them as meat buns, and I still make them in my house if we need a hand-held lunch or supper on the go. We used to do a kind of mushroom soup base with the ground beef, but it has been a pizza-style sauce, too. Yes, love these!
They’re so good, aren’t they? The pizza-style sauce sounds great too!
My school used to serve these for lunch, and still do. I like adding smoked Gouda to mine. Delicious!!
How neat that your school served them for lunch!
Joy, I can’t wait to make these! Question for you: I’m using Rhodes frozen dough and it comes three loaves to a package. For your recipe (as written), will I need one, two or all three loaves? Thanks so much!
Hi Karen! Sorry I’m late in replying to this—I’ve been away from my computer. And I’m sorry I don’t remember how many loaves of frozen dough it will take for the recipe. I haven’t used the frozen dough in about 15 years (since I’ve been using homemade bread dough), so I’m not sure. The one nice thing about the frozen dough is that if you have extra, you could just keep it in the freezer for next time (or just make bread with it). 🙂
Oh how I love family recipes! I’ve never had Bierocks but they look amazing. Love that you can make them ahead and freeze too. Thank you for sharing with us at Hearth and Soul. Sharing on our Hearth and Soul Facebook page later today. Hope to ‘see’ you at the party again this week!
We think they’re so good! Thanks so much for hosting and for sharing, April! 🙂
Joy, these look delicious! You got me excited to try something new. I also appreciated your step-by-step pictures. Thank you.
Thank you, Gleniece! Hope you enjoy them! 🙂
The recipe looks great! I am trying to bookmark it to make later, but the pop up for your Find Joy in Your Home pack came up and is stuck over the recipe. I cannot scroll to get to a place to close it and see the recipe. Just FYI. I will google your recipe again later, we love cabbage! Thanks for sharing! (I finally managed to switch to full screen view to close the add. It was the only way I could post my comment.)
Thank you, Anne! I’m so sorry for the technical difficulties. I’m glad it finally worked for you and so glad you stopped by today! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this recipe! They look great! I would love if you would join my new link up party at http://afiremanswife.com/2017/02/24/friday-at-the-fire-station-link-up-party-1/. Thanks and have a great week!
Thanks, Jen! I’ll try to make it over to your new link up!
I have never heard of them before. I am going to try to make some soon. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
They’re so fun to make! Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It looks fabulous!! I am pinning it now. : )
Thank you, Sarah! Hope you like them as much as we do!