Asian-Spiced Beef Cabbage Bao Bierock feature a seasoned meat and cabbage mixture spiced with fiery Korean gochujang chile paste, sesame, and plenty of garlic and ginger. This unconventional bao is made with a single ingredient.
One food that just screams summer to me is the bierock, a savory meat-and-cabbage stuffed sandwich. Today, I’m putting a Korean spin on the sandwich for summer vacation: Asian-Spiced Beef Cabbage Bao Bierock.
Road tripping is my favorite way to travel during the summer. I love jumping in the car and winging it to see where the road takes me. One of the best things about road tripping is rolling the dice and stopping at local eateries in small towns along the way to your final destination. If you ever find yourself driving through Nebraska, be sure to stop in for a signature bierock sandwich at the local fast food chain, Runza®.
The restaurant first opened in 1949 in Lincoln, and has since franchised across Nebraska and into the surrounding states. The eponymous Runza® Sandwich is the restaurant’s take on a German bierock; featured seasoned ground beef and cabbage mixture stuffed into freshly-baked bread. Legend has it that the bierock was brought to the Midwest by German-Russian Mennonite farmers in the 1880s. The bierock was hearty, and best of all portable, making it ideal for hardworking farmers, and now, road trippers.
Asian-Seasoned Beef Cabbage Bao Bierock Recipe
As a Nebraska native, I grew up eating homemade, and over the years, I’ve enjoyed tweaking the recipes to give them my own spin. My Asian-Spiced Beef Cabbage Bao Bierock recipe features a seasoned meat and cabbage mixture spiced up with fiery Korean gochujang chile paste, sesame, and plenty of garlic and ginger. Instead of bread dough, I’ve swapped in a fluffy steamed bao bun. The best part? This unconventional bao is made with a single ingredient.
Bao, or steamed Asian buns, are typically made with a homemade yeast dough that requires an hour or two to proof. Since we’re on summer vacation, we’re keeping things cool and easy by using refrigerated biscuit dough. Yep, the kind from the can.
After the spiced beef and cabbage mixture has cooled and thickened (you can even make it 48 hours ahead of time), just remove your biscuits from the can, rolling out the dough into thin disks and twist into cute little bundles. Then, just steam your bierocks for 10-15 minutes and you have a delicious, road-trip ready dinner or snack.
Whether you’re heading out on a cross-country road trip or planning a relaxing staycation this summer, these fluffy, fiery sandwiches will give you a little taste of Nebraska by way of Korea. Serve them warm or at room temperature, and be sure to pack a few extra before you hit the road. Happy summer travels!
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cups cabbage, finely shredded
- ½ cup green onions, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cans refrigerated biscuit dough
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 4 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Cook until cabbage is wilted and flavors have combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow to cool completely.
- To make bao, prepare your steamer. Remove biscuits from can and roll into thin disks using a rolling pin or large soup can. Place a disc in your hand and fill with 1-3 tablespoons of the cooled beef mixture.
- Gather up the dough into a little bundle and then gently twist clockwise to seal. Place on a parchment lined cooking sheet and continue making bao in this manner.
- To steam, place the bao in your steamer. Leave about an inch around each bao so they have room to expand. If you used regular-sized biscuits, steam about 10 minutes. For larger bao, steam about 14-15 minutes or until dough is puffed up and appears dry.
- Serve immediately while warm or allow to cool to room temperature.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Seasoned meat filling can be made 48 hours in advance and refrigerated. Steamed bao can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen. To reheat, gently re-steam for 5 minutes or wrap in damp paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
We hope you enjoy this Asian-Spiced Beef Cabbage Bao Bierock recipe from SoFabFood Contributor, Lexi from Lexi Bites, as much as we do. If you love this recipe, you can find more like it by visiting our Sandwich Section. For daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
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