Homemade Bierock Recipe (Beef or Venison)

Homemade bierocks are soft yeast rolls filled with seasoned beef or venison, cabbage, and onions. A classic Kansas comfort food that's perfect for dinner or the freezer.

Jump to:

• What Is a Bierock?
• Why This Recipe Works
• 💡 Make It Easy
• Ingredient Notes
• Make the Dough
• Make the Filling
• Shape the Bierocks
• Final Rise and Bake
• How to Store Bierocks
• How to Make Bierocks with Venison
• Bierock Filling Variations
• 💡 Bonus Dough Idea
• Recipe
• Frequently Asked Questions
• New Posts from the Homestead
• Comments

What Is a Bierock?

A bierock is a soft yeast roll stuffed with seasoned meat, cabbage, and onions.

Bierocks were brought to the American Midwest by Volga German immigrants and remain especially popular in Kansas and Nebraska today. My own great-grandmother's family were Volga German immigrants who settled in central Kansas. She spoke German as her first language and learned English later in life, making recipes like bierocks feel especially connected to my family's history.

Traditional bierocks are made with ground beef, but this recipe works beautifully with either beef or venison.

Why This Recipe Works

• This recipe makes 18 bierocks, making it perfect for feeding a crowd or stocking the freezer for busy nights.
• Soft, fluffy homemade rolls are stuffed with a savory filling of ground beef or venison, cabbage, and onions.
• A quick yeast dough keeps the process simple and cuts down on rising time.
• Make them with either ground beef or venison, depending on what you have on hand.

Ingredient Notes

• Bread Flour - Bread flour creates a soft, fluffy bierock dough. All-purpose flour can be substituted, but you may need an extra 2–3 tablespoons if the dough feels sticky.
• Milk - Whole milk adds richness and flavor to the dough, though any dairy milk will work.
• Butter - Real butter gives the dough the best flavor. I prefer grass-fed butter (here's how to make your own homemade butter), but use what you have on hand.
• Water - Warm water helps activate the yeast and get the dough rising quickly.
• Sugar - A small amount of sugar helps feed the yeast and speeds up the rise time.
• Salt - Fine sea salt or kosher salt both work well.
• Ground Beef or Venison - Traditional bierocks are made with ground beef, but we often make ours with ground venison from our freezer. Either works beautifully in this recipe. Ground pork, turkey, chicken, or elk can also be substituted. See my note below for making bierocks with venison.
• Cabbage - Finely shredded cabbage cooks down quickly and creates the classic bierock filling. Pre-shredded coleslaw mix is a great shortcut.
• Onion - Yellow onions add a mild sweetness and savory flavor to the filling.

Make the Dough

When making bread dough, accurate measurements matter. Scoop flour lightly into the measuring cup rather than packing it down, and measure the salt carefully.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk, water, and cubed butter. Heat until warm but not hot, about 110°F. Most of the butter should be melted, though a few small pieces may remain (see picture above).

The mixture should feel comfortably warm to the touch. If it's too hot, allow it to cool slightly before adding the yeast.

Add all of the dry ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer, reserving 1 cup of the flour. Pour in the warm milk mixture and knead on low speed until a dough begins to form.

If the dough is still sticky and clinging to the sides of the bowl, add the remaining flour a little at a time until it pulls away from the bowl and clings to the dough hook. Knead for 2 additional minutes.

To create a warm proofing environment, place a cup of boiling water in the microwave or oven and close the door for a few minutes. Remove the water, then place the covered bowl of dough inside and shut the door. Let the dough rise for 30 minutes, or until nearly doubled in size.

Make the Filling

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil or a spoonful of bacon grease. Cook the cabbage and onion until softened and beginning to turn golden, about 8–10 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper, then transfer to a bowl.

Add the ground beef or ground venison to the same skillet and cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. If using venison, the extra fat helps prevent sticking and adds flavor.

Return the cabbage mixture to the skillet and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and allow the filling to cool slightly while the dough finishes rising.

Shape the Bierocks

Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into 18 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, then flatten it into a circle about 4 inches across.

Place a generous scoop of the meat and cabbage filling in the center of the dough. Bring the edges up and over the filling, pinching them together in the center to completely seal the bierock.

Turn the bierock seam-side down and gently roll it between your hands to create a smooth round bun. Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Final Rise and Bake

Arrange the bierocks on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam-side down. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 15–30 minutes.

Bake at 400°F for 10–15 minutes, depending on size, until the tops are a deep golden brown.

The photo below shows several stages of doneness. The bierock on the left is well browned but not overbaked. The bierock on the right is about as light as I would go. Anything paler may be underbaked and doughy in the center.

How to Store Bierocks

One of the best things about homemade bierocks is that they store and reheat beautifully. I almost always make a full batch so we can enjoy some for dinner and save the rest for later.

Refrigerator

Allow the bierocks to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezer

Bierocks freeze exceptionally well. Once cooled, place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individually wrapped bierocks for easy grab-and-go lunches.

For the best flavor and texture, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating

• Microwave: Heat individual bierocks for 30–60 seconds, or until warmed through.
• Oven: Place on a baking sheet and warm at 350°F for 10–15 minutes.
• Air Fryer: Reheat at 350°F for 3–5 minutes until heated through and lightly crisp on the outside.

Make Ahead Tip

The meat and cabbage filling can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the bierocks.

How to Make Bierocks with Venison

Traditional bierocks are usually made with ground beef, but we often make ours with venison from our freezer. Ground venison can be substituted for beef in a 1:1 ratio in this recipe.

Because venison is much leaner than beef, I recommend browning it with a little olive oil, butter, or bacon grease. The added fat improves both the texture and flavor of the filling.

Elk is my personal favorite wild game meat for bierocks because its mild flavor and texture are very similar to beef. Deer, elk, antelope, and even ground moose all work well.

If you're introducing someone to wild game for the first time, bierocks are a great place to start. The cabbage, onions, and soft homemade dough mellow the flavor and create a hearty, comforting meal that even picky eaters tend to enjoy.

Bierock Filling Variations

Once you've mastered the classic beef or venison filling, try experimenting with other combinations.

• Pizza Pockets or Pizza Bierocks: Fill with pepperoni, sausage, mozzarella, and a spoonful of pizza sauce. You can find my exact recipe here How to Make Homemade Pizza Pockets.
• Ham and Cheese: Finely chopped ham and American cheese make a kid-friendly option reminiscent of a homemade Hot Pocket.
• Philly Cheesesteak: Fill with sautéed peppers, Swiss cheese, and thinly sliced steak.
• Breakfast Bierocks: Try scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, and cheddar cheese.

What Is the Difference Between a Bierock and a Runza?

Bierocks and Runzas are very similar. Both are soft yeast rolls filled with seasoned meat, cabbage, and onions, and both trace their roots back to Volga German immigrants who settled throughout the Midwest.

The biggest difference is that Runza is a trademarked sandwich sold by the Nebraska-based Runza restaurant chain, while bierocks are the traditional homemade version.

In my experience, homemade bierocks are usually round like a dinner roll, while Runzas are often shaped into a longer rectangle or oval. The fillings can vary from family to family, but both are hearty, portable meals that have been Midwest favorites for generations.

If you've ever stopped at a Runza restaurant while driving through Nebraska, you'll immediately recognize the flavors in a homemade bierock.

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