These are a staple in Nebraska where they are called Runzas. They’re almost identical to the German Bierock but are usually made in a log shape rather than a roll. Filled with minced beef, onion and cabbage and sometimes cheese as well they’re very adaptable. You can experiment with your own fillings. 
Makes 8
Dough
1 cup / 250ml Milk – warmed to just warm to the finger.
2 Tbsp White Sugar
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 package)
3 cup / 675g unbleached plain flour [or white bread flour]
2 Tbsp / 1oz salted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
Filling
½ lb Minced beef
1 onion, diced
2 cups shredded cabbage
¼ tsp salt
¼ to ½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp white pepper
1 maggi beef stock cube or half an oxo cube
2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp of worcestershire sauce
2 tsp balsemic vinegar
Optional extras
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 medium carrot, finely diced.
Grated cheddar cheese – about a heaped tablespoon per roll
To finish
1 Tbsp milk for glazing. Or beaten egg if you prefer.
Making the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, mix milk and sugar to dissolve the sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the milk mixture and let stand for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast starts to foam.
Whisk mixture to combine and whisk in 2 c of flour.
Add melted butter, egg and salt. Whisk to incorporate.
Stir in remaining flour ¼ c at a time until the dough comes together. Turn dough onto your counter and knead, 10-15 min, until a soft, smooth dough forms, adding flour as needed. (Your finished dough should be tacky, but not stick to your hand or your kneading surface.)
Shape dough into a round; place it in a greased bowl, turning to coat the dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Making the Filling
While the dough rises, make your filling. You can also make this ahead of time. In a large non-stick frying pan, brown meat over medium high until mostly cooked, 5-7 min.
Drain as much of the grease from the pan as you can . Return the pan to the heat and add onions [and celery and carrot if using]. Cook until they begin to soften. Add the garlic, worcestershire sauce and balsemic.
Add cabbage and stock cube and cook for about 10 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.
Remove filling from heat and check seasoning.
You can also cook the filling in a slow cooker if you prefer. Remember to drain it when it is cooked as liquid won’t evaporate the same as it would on the stovetop.
Assembling them.
Knock back the risen dough and turn onto your work surface.
Divide dough into 8 balls (roughly 3 oz each). Roll out into an oval about 5 inches across by 8 long. Or a 6 inch circle depending on what shape you want.
If you are using cheese then place a couple of tablespoons onto each oval or a single tablespoon worth onto the rounds. Spoon 1 to 2 large tablespoons of filling onto the center but make sure to leave the edges clear. The exact amount will depend on how large your’ve rolled out your dough. Bring the edges together and pinch them to seal the dough. Continue until all the dough and filling has been used.
Place them seam side down on a greased baking sheet and let rise, covered 30-45 min, until roughly 1.5x their original size.
During this time preheat your oven to 190C / 375F.
Brush them lightly with milk or egg and bake for 20-25 min, until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped.
Remove from oven and let cook on a wire rack.
Notes
These rolls freeze well after baking. They will take about 4 hours to defrost. Warm them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes in 30 second increments to heat through.
Variaions.
Sweet version.
You can make a sweet version of these, if you are doing so then double the amount of sugar in the dough. I also add some vanilla bean paste.
Apple – use chopped cooked eating apples and a little sugar and cinnamon. Eating apples don’t go as soggy as cooking apples so are better for this.
Jam. Add a tablespoon or so of whatever jam you like and then shape into balls.
The sweet versions are better made a little smaller and made as rounds rather than as longer rolls. The dough should make about a dozen of these.
You can also use this dough to make cinnamon rolls. The dough needs to be rolled out in long narrow strips then spread with a cinnamon, sugar and butter paste, then rolled up from the narrow end. Seal the ends and then stand on one end and squash into a round.
filling
100 g soft butter
100 g sugar [demerara]
2 tbsp cinnamon
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