The Chiefs are back for their fourth Super Bowl game this weekend. Their first appearance was in the very first Super Bowl and it was their only championship loss. They returned to the big game in Super Bowl IV, beating the Minnesota Vikings. Last year, the Chiefs went all the way once again, out playing the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. These defending champions are favored to win over the Buccaneers by a slim margin. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the franchise to its first Super Bowl victory in a half-century for the finale of the 2019 season. If he does it again, the Chiefs will become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since quarterback Tom Brady did it with the New England Patriots in both 2003 and 2004. This should be an exciting game!

That said, Super bowl LV will look very different from previous ones. Attendance at the game will be limited to 22,000 people, about a third of the stadium’s capacity. Super Bowl parties will be smaller affairs. Advertising during the game is also going to look different this year. PepsiCo won’t be advertising its Pepsi brand, focusing instead on sponsoring the halftime show. Anheuser-Busch will not be advertising the Budweiser brand, reallocating that money to support the Covid-19 vaccination effort instead, although there will be national ads for some of their other brands. Coke, Audi and Avocados from Mexico are sitting out the game entirely.

But we will still be making some good food to enjoy, leading up to the game. I chose a German stuffed roll, known as a bierock or runza for Chiefs fans, as it is a common dish in that region. It is a ground meat, cabbage, and onion filled yeast roll. They can be made with or without cheese and are traditionally served with mustard. The time required is well worth the results!

Bierocks (adapted from bakerbettie.com)  Total Time Required: about 4 hours, Cook Time: 15 minutes, Bake Time: 30 minutes, Yields: 12 bierocks

Ingredients:

For the Dough

• 1 cup milk
• 2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 4 – 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
• 4 cups (about 10 ounces) shredded green cabbage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• salt & black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

Make the Yeast Dough: Add the dough ingredients to the pan of a bread maker in the order required by the manufacturer. Choose the dough setting and start the machine.

[Alternately, warm the milk to about 110º-115º F, either on the stove top or for about 30-45 seconds in the microwave. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and stir it together.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, using the flat beater, mix together the cooled butter, sugar, and salt. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until the first one is incorporated before adding the next. Add in the milk-yeast mixture.

Mix in 4 cups of the flour until it is all hydrated. The dough will be shaggy at this point. Switch to the dough hook and knead at medium high speed for about 5 minutes, stopping about halfway through to scrape the bottom of the bowl. If needed, add more flour while kneading until you have a soft dough that is smooth and elastic. (Alternately, knead the dough by hand, working on a lightly floured work surface and kneading the dough for about 6-7 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. The dough will be very sticky to start, but will become less sticky as it is kneaded. Add in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour a tablespoon at a time, if needed.)

Lightly spray the dough with oil and cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap. Let it ferment in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.]

Make the Bierock Filling: While the dough is rising, heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Cook the diced onions and minced garlic for about 3 minutes, until the onions become translucent and are beginning to take on some color.

Add the ground beef to the pot and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is cooked through.

Add the cabbage and 1 teaspoon of salt to the pan. Sauté the mixture until the cabbage completely wilts down, about 3-4 more minutes. Taste the mixture and add black pepper and more salt, to taste. Allow the mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes before filling the dough.

Assemble the Bierocks: Gently press down on the middle of the yeast dough to deflate it, and then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 12 even pieces. Roll each piece of dough out to about 6 inches in diameter and 1/8″ thick.

If adding cheese to the bierocks, place about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese on the dough first and then top it with a generous 1/3 cup of filling.

Bring the edges of the dough up to the center, twisting and pinching the edges together to seal them.

Place the filled bierocks on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet, seam side down. Cover the prepared bierocks with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350º F. After the bierocks have risen, uncover them and bake them in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until they are golden brown. Brush the baked bierocks with melted butter. Serve with spicy brown, yellow, or Dijon mustard, if desired.

To Freeze Raw Bierocks: Place the filled bierocks in the freezer on a sheet tray. Once they are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer zipper bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them by removing them from the freezer and placing them on a sheet tray. Cover the bierocks with plastic wrap and thaw for about 2 hours at room temperature. Bake and serve as directed above.

To Freeze Baked Bierocks: Allow them to cool completely. Freeze them in a freezer zipper bag or wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw for 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. Reheat them in a 325º F oven for 20 minutes, until they are warmed through. Serve as directed above.

Let’s Go Chiefs!  ~Linda

Bierocks (adapted from bakerbettie.com)  Total Time Required: about 4 hours, Cook Time: 15 minutes, Bake Time: 30 minutes, Yields: 12 bierocks

Ingredients:

For the Dough

• 1 cup milk
• 2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 4 – 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
• 4 cups (about 10 ounces) shredded green cabbage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• salt & black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

Make the Yeast Dough: Add the dough ingredients to the pan of a bread maker in the order required by the manufacturer. Choose the dough setting and start the machine.

[Alternately, warm the milk to about 110º-115º F, either on the stove top or for about 30-45 seconds in the microwave. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and stir it together.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, using the flat beater, mix together the cooled butter, sugar, and salt. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until the first is incorporated before adding the next. Add in the milk-yeast mixture.

Mix in 4 cups of the flour until it is all hydrated. The dough will be shaggy at this point. Switch to the dough hook and knead at medium high speed for about 5 minutes, stopping about halfway through to scrape the bottom of the bowl. If needed, add more flour while kneading until you have a soft dough that is smooth and elastic. (Alternately, knead the dough by hand, working on a lightly floured work surface and kneading the dough for about 6-7 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. The dough will be very sticky to start, but will become less sticky as it is kneaded. Add in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour a tablespoon at a time, if needed.)

Lightly spray the dough with oil and cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap. Let it ferment in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.]

Make the Bierock Filling: While the dough is rising, heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Cook the diced onions and minced garlic for about 3 minutes, until the onions become translucent and are beginning to take on some color.

Add the ground beef to the pot and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is cooked through. Add the cabbage and 1 teaspoon of salt to the pan. Sauté the mixture until the cabbage completely wilts down, about 3-4 more minutes. Taste the mixture and add black pepper and more salt to taste. Allow the mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes before filling the dough.

Assemble the Bierocks: Gently press down on the middle of the yeast dough to deflate it, and then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 12 even pieces.

Roll each piece of dough out to about 6 inches in diameter and 1/8″ thick. If adding cheese to the bierocks, place about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese on the dough first and then top it with a generous 1/3 cup of filling. Bring the edges of the dough up to the center, twisting and pinching the edges together to seal them. Place the filled bierocks on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet, seam side down. Cover the prepared bierocks with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350º F. After the bierocks have risen, uncover them and bake them in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until they are golden brown. Brush the baked bierocks with melted butter. Serve with spicy brown, yellow, or Dijon mustard, if desired.

To Freeze Raw Bierocks: Place the filled bierocks in the freezer on a sheet tray. Once they are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer zipper bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them by removing them from the freezer and placing them on a sheet tray. Cover the bierocks with plastic wrap and thaw for about 2 hours at room temperature. Bake and serve as directed above.

To Freeze Baked Bierocks: Allow them to cool completely. Freeze them in a freezer zipper bag or wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw for 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. Reheat them in a 325º F oven for 20 minutes, until they are warmed through. Serve as directed above.