Bierocks

Bierocks—also known as bierrocks, bierochen, cabbage busters, runzas, German rocks, kraut Bierocks, or kraut Runzas—are stuffed breads filled with a hash of beef, cabbage, and onions. There are also versions with sauerkraut or other vegetarian fillings. Under whichever name, they are the canonical dish of Germans from Russia and Ukraine who settled the prairie states in the late nineteenth century. Their descendents may be the largest ethnic group in North Dakota. The name “Bierocks” is a Germanized pronunciation of the Russian pirog (pie), or the Turkish beorek—the apparent origins of these savory treats. Runza means “a bun” in Low German. The bun shape is the most traditional, but pasties and turnovers are also common, and there are squares, triangles, and recently a “runza casserole,” analogous to a tamale pie.